Pitney Bowes Inc.

George J Doutney

Michael J Lorello

Gary S Jacobson

James A Fairweather

Robert J Allen

Thomas M Lyga

Carlos L DeFigueiredo

Young W Lee

Maria P Parkos

Edward R Bass

Daniel P Goslicki, Jr

A system and method for adjusting the LED current of an optical sensor that does not decrease the effectiveness of the optical sensor or the length of its operating life, or significantly increase the cost due to hardware requirements. The LED current of an optical sensor is adjusted using a high frequency pulse-width modulated signal generated from a microcontroller. Based on feedback provided by the photo-detector, the duty cycle of the signal can be adjusted by the microcontroller. The signal passes through a low pass filter which averages the modulated signal into a DC voltage, which is then used to control a current amplifier circuit that provides current to the LED of the optical sensor. This adjustability enables the system to compensate for variations in sensor LED's and the LED brightness reduction to due aging and/or build-up of contaminants on the photo-detector and/or LED.

Circuit and method for controlling current supplied to an optical sensor

Circuitry to control reflective optical sensors is provided that reduces false detections due to ambient light without compromising the performance of the optical sensors to detect dark materials. A reflective optical sensor includes an emitter LED and photo-detector arranged to receive light from the LED that is reflected by an object being detected. A first input of a comparator is coupled to the output of the photo-detector. A second input of the comparator is coupled to the output of the photo-detector through a filtering circuit. The filtering circuit operates to filter the detector's output and adaptively adjust the trigger threshold of the comparator, thereby enabling the photo-detector to be sensitive enough to detect dark mail pieces, i.e., those mail pieces that are minimally reflective, while being immune to repeated false triggers due to excessive ambient light.

Mailing machine having optical sensors with improved immunity to ambient

A thru-beam sensor is positioned such that the beam passes through the crease line of the envelope when the envelope is parked in the insertion area. As the envelope enters the insertion area, the through beam sensor is set to current level A. The sensor is used to accurately position the envelope based on the passing of the lead edge. Once the envelope is in position, the current in the thru-beam emitter pair is raised until the envelope is no longer obstructing the line of sight of the sensor. From this state, the insert or plurality of inserts that are entering the accumulator can be detected, as the presence of the inserts will inhibit light transmission between the emitter and receiver. Using the sensor system proposed here, the inserts trailing edge can be detected at the crease line of the envelope.

Method of sensing pack insertion at crease line of envelope

A method and a system are disclosed for preventing stepper motor control signals from being applied to a stepper motor drive circuit in order to stop a stepper motor when an interlock situation is present. A sequence of one or more control signals is generated by a motion control system and passed to one or more interlock logic gates connected in series. The interlock logic gates have an enable signal input which allows the control signals to pass through to the stepper motor drive circuit if the enable input signal is set to a logic level of '1'. On the other hand, the interlock logic gates will prevent the control signals from reaching the stepper motor drive circuit if the enable input signal is set to a logic level of '0'. The logic level of the enable input signal may be connected to a switch, relay, or an integrated circuit responsive to an interlock situation such as the opening of an access door.

Safety interlock system and method for disrupting stepper motor control signals

In a mail inserter having an envelope movement mechanism to move an envelope into an insertion station and a feeder to move a pack of insert material into an insertion position so that the insert material can be inserted into the envelope, a linear array of optical sensing elements is used to determine the position of one edge of the insert material and another linear array of optical sensing elements is used to determine the position of one edge of the receiving envelope in order to make sure that there is sufficient end clearance between the insert material and the receiving envelope. A stepper motor is used to adjust the envelope position, if the end clearance is outside a predetermined range.

Method and device for aligning a receiving envelope in a mail inserter

A method and a system are disclosed for adaptively controlling a stepper motor to produce a required torque output based on selection information provided by a sensor or a user/user interface which, in combination with a selector, selects a torque-related value. The selection information provided to the selector for selecting the stepper motor torque-related value may be, for example, the size or thickness of material being handled or the number of accumulated sheets for processing. The torque-related value is predetermined through experimentation and loaded into a lookup table stored in the memory of a motion control system board. The selected torque-related value is provided to a stepper motor driver which supplies the appropriate drive signal(s) to the stepper motor.

Adaptive current control system for a stepper motor

A mailing machine base includes a docking system for a User Interface Controller (UIC) that provides a feedback signal to the mailing machine based on the presence of the UIC. When the UIC is inserted into a docking connector of the mailing machine, the mailing machine detects the presence of the UIC. A delay circuit within the mailing machine provides a signal to a power control circuit after a predetermined time delay. The power control circuit, based on the signal from the delay circuit, will provide power to the UIC only after the UIC has been securely docked for the full predetermined time delay. When the UIC is removed from the mailing machine, the mailing machine, based on the feedback signal, will quickly remove the power provided to the docking connector. Thus, the mailing machine can remain powered during removal and replacement of the UIC.

Auto power-on, hot-pluggable user interface controller for mailing machines

A fluid level detector comprises a tank including a sleeve portion extending vertically from a bottom section of the tank to a top section of the tank, and sensor device mounted to a circuit board connected at one end to monitoring device, with the circuit board being inserted into the sleeve. There is a circular float assembly with a center aperture. The circular float assembly includes a pair of magnets mounted in push-pull orientation at opposite sides of the aperture within the float assembly. The float assembly is slidably positioned over the sleeve whereby the float assembly moves up and down the sleeve as the water level changes in the tank, wherein the sensor device generate a signal representing detection of fluid level by the sensor device when the fluid level in the tank is substantially at the level of the sensor device.

Electronic/magnetic apparatus and method for detecting fluid level

It has been found that applying an alternating charge to the cleaning brush of a xerographic printer of the reversal development type results in superior neutralization of the residual charge on the photoconductor. This has the advantage of achieving subsequent charging that is uniform.

Method and apparatus for neutralizing residual charge on a

Within an electrophotographic copier having a moving photoconductor member, a dry magnetic developing apparatus has an endless web for the purpose of transporting dry magnetic developer material from the supply to the developing zone. The web is constructed from a material formed of an inner electrically insulative base and with a textured, electrically conductive outer surface capable of picking up a supply of developer material. The dry developer material is then caused to tumble upon the web and through the gap defining the developing zone, under the influence of fixed magnets located within the developing apparatus. The tumbling action greatly extends the opportunity to provide toner to the charged image along the arcuate path which includes the development zone between the carrier web and the photoconductor.

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Sandy Hook, CT, United States of America

George J Doutney