A device for printing information at multiple predetermined positions of a flat object including a registration wall, a print module including print nozzles and a print plate and displaceable along an horizontal axis perpendicular to the registration wall, fixed upper drive members for moving the flat object in a direction of transport along the registration wall, the print plate and the fixed upper drive members together forming an upper reference in a vertical direction, and lower pressing members for pressing the flat object against the upper reference, the device further comprises at least one mobile upper drive member and, for avoiding contact with the flat object immediately after printing, the at least one mobile upper drive member is vertically mobile and configured to be moved from a lower to an upper position above the upper reference when the displaceable print module is positioned along the horizontal axis ahead of the at least one mobile upper drive member in the direction of transport.

A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.

A system for printing an imprint on a flat material includes a cartridge holding a consumable (e.g. ink) and at least one material processing device (MPD) (e.g. franking machine) having a printer and a data processor connected to the printer to control use of the cartridge to produce the imprint. The MPD is configured to detect insertion of the cartridge into the printer and generate current consumption information representing the use of the cartridge by the printer since insertion. The cartridge can include a first non-volatile memory that (unchangeably) stores a unique cartridge identification of the cartridge. The data processor is configured to: cause, based on a predeterminable usage-relevant event occurring, a current use-information, generated based on the current consumption information logically linked to the cartridge identification, to be stored in a second memory, and write to an irreversibly writable memory area of the first memory when the event occurs.

An assembly, system, and method for applying postage indicia to one or more mailpiece on a high speed mail sorter are disclosed. In some aspects, the assembly includes a diverter; a first and a second lane each including one or more zones, wherein the diverter is configured to alternately divert the one or more mailpiece to either the first or second lane; and one or more meter printers disposed on the first and second lane; wherein the one or more zones includes a first zone configured to decelerate the one or more mailpiece to printer speed, a second zone configured to transport the one or more mailpiece past the one or more meter printers at the printer speed, and a third zone configured to accelerate the one or more mailpiece to transport speed and merge the one or more mailpiece with mailpieces from each of the first and second lane.

A method for processing a batch of mailpieces on an inserting station comprising at least a document feeder and a document scanner to read barcodes printed on pages of documents belonging to said batch of mailpieces, the method including the steps of selecting a job type having job parameters for the batch of mailpieces, extracting a first page belonging to a mailpiece from the document feeder, scanning the first page with the document scanner, searching a first barcode printed on the first page, reading the first barcode on the first page, extracting from the first barcode an information including at least one of a mailpiece identifier, a page count or position coordinates, processing the information to retrieve a position of a second barcode printed on a second page to be extracted from the document feeder, extracting the second page from the document feeder, scanning the second page with the document scanner, searching a second barcode on the second page at the retrieved position, and reading the second barcode on the second page.

A method for franking packages individually supplied from a stack on a conveyor line to a franking machine, such as envelopes, mailing bags, sleeves, cards, labels, printed products, or the like, which are removed at the lower side of the stack for separation and which are supplied on the upstream conveyor line to a printing mechanism of the franking machine and which, after printing of the packages, are discharged from the franking machine. The packages are supplied on the conveyor portion via a switch to the franking machine and after printing are supplied counter to the supply direction from the printing mechanism of the franking machine via the transposed switch of a depositing device which is provided therebelow for printed packages.

A device for printing information at multiple predetermined positions of a flat object including a registration wall, a print module including print nozzles and a print plate and displaceable along an horizontal axis perpendicular to the registration wall, fixed upper drive members for moving the flat object in a direction of transport along the registration wall, the print plate and the fixed upper drive members together forming an upper reference in a vertical direction, and lower pressing members for pressing the flat object against the upper reference, the device further comprises at least one mobile upper drive member and, for avoiding contact with the flat object immediately after printing, the at least one mobile upper drive member is vertically mobile and configured to be moved from a lower to an upper position above the upper reference when the displaceable print module is positioned along the horizontal axis ahead of the at least one mobile upper drive member in the direction of transport.

A method for processing a batch of mailpieces on an inserting station comprising at least a document feeder and a document scanner to read barcodes printed on pages of documents belonging to said batch of mailpieces, the method including the steps of selecting a job type having job parameters for the batch of mailpieces, extracting a first page belonging to a mailpiece from the document feeder, scanning the first page with the document scanner, searching a first barcode printed on the first page, reading the first barcode on the first page, extracting from the first barcode an information including at least one of a mailpiece identifier, a page count or position coordinates, processing the information to retrieve a position of a second barcode printed on a second page to be extracted from the document feeder, extracting the second page from the document feeder, scanning the second page with the document scanner, searching a second barcode on the second page at the retrieved position, and reading the second barcode on the second page.

A limited-function computing device is provided that allows a user to print postage indicia or other value-bearing items on demand, without requiring the user to log in to or otherwise access specialized software executing on a general-purpose computer.

A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.