Siemens Industry, Inc.

Edwin Bland

Lelan D Warren

Rajeev Dwivedi

Uwe Maertin

Bryan Stone

Simon Krause

Nico Meintker

John Day

A pickoff system for removal of mail pieces one at a time from the end of a stack includes a pickoff belt mechanism positioned to frictionally engage an outer surface of a mail piece at the end of the stack and transport it transversely to a thickness direction of the stack, which mechanism includes one or more belts mounted on rollers and driven by a drive motor. A sensor is positioned to determine mail piece movement speed as it is being transported by the pickoff belt mechanism, and a measurement device determines belt movement speed during operation of the pickoff belt mechanism. A system is provided for reducing or stopping slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt during transport by the belt pickoff mechanism. A controller is connected to the sensor and the belt movement speed measurement device. The controller is configured to compare the belt movement speed and the mail piece movement speed during operation, and when mail piece movement speed is slower than belt movement speed, indicating slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt of the pickoff belt mechanism, the controller actuates the means for stopping slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt.

Pickoff mechanism for mail feeder

A pickoff system for removal of mail pieces one at a time from the end of a stack includes a pickoff belt mechanism, a sensor positioned to determine mail piece movement speed, and a measurement device determines belt movement speed during operation of the pickoff belt mechanism. A vacuum system includes a vacuum pump and a vacuum manifold positioned to apply suction to the mail piece in a direction that tends to hold the mail piece against the belt of the pickoff belt mechanism. A controller is configured to compare the belt movement speed and the mail piece movement speed during operation, and when mail piece movement speed is slower than belt movement speed, indicating slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt of the pickoff belt mechanism, the controller temporarily increases suction force applied to a mail piece being transported by the pickoff belt mechanism.

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Mansfield, TX, United States of America

Edwin Bland