Envelope inserter with suction cup opening mechanism and improved insertion motion control

Abstract

A method for opening an envelope for insertion of a collation in an envelope inserting machine. The envelope is fed into an inserting station with its flap in an open position. The insertion station has vacuum belts to hold the envelope in position, and to move the envelope in an upstream or downstream direction. A suction cup is positioned above the envelope in the insertion station. The suction cup is moved downward to engage a top surface of the envelope near an upstream edge of the top surface. The suction cup then lifts the top surface of the envelope to open a throat of the envelope to facilitate insertion of a collation. The envelope on the vacuum belt is then moved in the upstream direction by a small amount so that the top surface of the envelope forms a more open angle for receiving the collation.

Claims

1. A method for opening an envelope for insertion of a collation in an envelope inserting machine, the method including; feeding an envelope into an inserting station with its flap in an open position, the insertion station having vacuum belts to hold the envelope in position, and to move the envelope in an upstream or downstream direction; positioning a suction cup above the envelope in the insertion station: moving the suction cup downward to engage a top surface of the envelope near an upstream edge of the top surface; lifting the suction cup and the top surface of the envelope to open a throat of the envelope to facilitate insertion of a collation; moving the envelope on the vacuum belt in the upstream direction by a small amount prior to inserting the collation so that the top surface of the envelope forms a more open angle for receiving the collation; and after the step of moving the envelope on the vacuum belt, inserting the collation into the envelope that is being held open by action of the suction cup.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the envelope in the upstream direction includes moving the envelope in the range of 2 to 5 millimeters.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of moving the envelope in the upstream direction includes moving the envelope approximately 3 millimeters.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein upon initially lifting the suction cup a region of the top surface of the envelope where the vacuum cup is engaged is tilted at a closed angle, whereby a height of an opening to the envelope throat at the upstream edge is reduced.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the upstream movement of the envelope by the vacuum belt causes the top surface of the envelope where the vacuum cup is engaged to tilt from a closed angle to an open angle, whereby the height of the opening of the envelope throat at the upstream edge is increased.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of releasing the vacuum cup after insertion of the collation into the envelope and transporting the envelope on the vacuum belt in the downstream direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side view showing of an insert station in which the upper side of the envelope has an undesirable closed angle at the opening.

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view depicting the preferred embodiment in which the upper side of the envelope has been adjusted to a more open angle at the opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(4) Envelope Inserter with Variably Activated Suction Cups

(5) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary inserter station on which the improved motion control can be implemented. An envelope 2 to be opened by the suction cup 20 is supported on a vacuum deck 11 and a belt transport 10. The vacuum cup 20 is mounted on a mounting arm 21 that is fixedly attached to cam follower arm 22. Together, the mounting arm 21 and the cam follower arm 22 form a pivoting arm. A cam follower is mounted on the end of cam follower arm 22, and is in operative contact with cam 23, which controls the up and down motion of suction cup 20, through the pivot arm. A more extensive description for a preferred embodiment for controlling one or more suction cups 20 is described in co-pending application: Envelope Inserter With Variably Activated Suction Cups, Ser. No. 62/118,548, filed Feb. 20, 2015, and commonly assigned to Pitney Bowes Inc., which is hereby incorporated by reference.

(6) As seen in FIG. 1, in this arrangement, the cups 20 have a tendency to bend the top leading edge of the throat of the envelope 2 in a closed angle as it is lifted open due to geometry of the suction cup arms 21. This reduces the opening height of the envelope 2 and presents a catch point to the incoming collation from direction 1. This could be mitigated by increasing the opening height of the suction cups 20. However, opening the envelope 2 higher tends to reduce the opening width, and makes insertion of collation that has a width approaching the envelope width more difficult.

(7) As seen in FIG. 2, the proposed improvement solves the problem by introducing a small reverse motion to the envelope 2 via vacuum belt 10 after the suction cups 20 have acquired the envelope 2. Then, the cups 2 will bend the leading edge of the throat open, which is preferable as it presents a more favorable entrance geometry for an incoming collation from direction 1. A small reverse motion on the vacuum belts 10, in the order of 2 to 5 mm, causes the suction cups 20 will slightly deform and cause the throat of the envelope 2 to bend to a more open angle, increasing the clearance for the incoming collation. A movement of envelope 2 by approximately 3 mm to the left has been found to have the most advantageous effect. Performing this operation increases the size of the opening of the envelope 2 with no impact on the throughput of the machine. This has the benefit of increasing insertion reliability, which will reduce machine stoppages and enhance productivity.

(8) Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and deviations in the form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.