Pitney Bowes Inc.

Robert J Francisco

John W Sussmeier

Edilberto I Salazar

Jeffrey L Chodack

A method for dynamically determining a motion control profile used in controlling motion of an axis of an overhead transport motor so as to be synchronized to the motion of a collating transport motor of an insertion engine used to insert a collation into an envelope when the collating transport motor causes a collating pusher to handoff the collation to an overhead pusher being driven by the overhead transport motor. The motion profile consists of a finite number of segments and repeats after the finite number of segments, the finite number of segments constituting a cycle. The method includes the steps of: electronically gearing the overhead transport motor to the collating transport motor from the beginning of a cycle until handoff; based on position information provided by a sensor, determining whether the collating transport is decelerating between handoff and insertion; and using either forward integration or electronic gearing of the overhead transport motor to the collating transport motor up until the collating transport motor is first determined to be decelerating between handoff and insertion, and using forward integration when the collating transport motor is first determined to be decelerating between handoff and insertion and continuing the forward integration until insertion. In some applications, the forward integration is used when the collating transport motor is first determined to be decelerating between handoff and insertion and continuing the forward integration until the end of the cycle.

Method for synchronizing an envelope inserter

A self-adjusting motor positioning system comprises a motor including a shaft extending therefrom, a disc coupled to the motor shaft and having at least first and second notches, rotating apparatus coupled to the motor shaft whereby the rotating apparatus is intermittently driven by the motor, a sensor adjacent the disc for detecting the first and second notches, and a control processor coupled to the sensor and the motor for receiving detection signals from the sensor and for turning the motor on and off. The control processor includes memory for storing a time delay count representing a time delay for the control processor to turn off the motor after the second notch is detected by the sensor. The rotating apparatus includes a starting position from which the rotating apparatus begins. The first notch in the disc corresponds to the starting position of the rotating apparatus. The control processor turns the motor off when the time delay expires after the sensor detects the second notch. The sensor senses for the first notch as the motor coasts to a stop, and the control processor adjusts the time delay count if the first notch is not detected when the disc is at a complete stop.

Self adjusting motor positioning system and method

A method and apparatus for controlling a machine. The method includes providing a control panel having a plurality of control switches and respectively associated illumination means, identifying by illumination which of the control switches are selectable for control at any given moment; and choosing an operation by selecting one of the control switches whose associated illumination means is illuminated. The apparatus includes a controller and software for controlling a machine. Control switches and associated illumination means are operatively connected to the controller. Selectable switches are identified by illumination of the illumination means associated with the selectable switches.

Tutorial control panel

A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations and means for transporting articles to be processed serially through the processing stations in a given order, the improvement comprising a central processing station computer, a plurality of peripheral processing stations, each of the peripheral processing stations including a microprocessor, a first data channel serially interconnecting each of the peripheral processing station computers with the central processing station computer, a second data channel connecting each of the peripheral processing station computers directly with the central processing station computers, and a third data channel interconnecting each of the peripheral processing station computers with its next adjacent peripheral processing station computers, each of the channels performing a different data processing operation for controlling the serial processing for transporting articles.

Dual mode communication among plurality of processors using three

A material processing system comprising a plurality of peripheral modules and a base module, the base module including a central processor, each of the peripheral modules including a peripheral processor, a serial data link interconnecting each of the processors in a serial manner, the central processor including means for providing a system command signal along the serial link to the first of the peripheral module processors, each the peripheral processor including means responsive to the system command signal for adding thereto a tag, the tag including data representative of the address and configuration of the module, and for passing the system command signal to the next successive module processor, and means for passing the system command signals and tags appended thereto to the base module central processor, the base module central processor including storage means for storing the address and designation data of each the module.

Multiple material processing system start-up

In a material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and structure directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprises a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations. Each of the processors of the plurality of stations comprises structure for generating an error message concerning a respective station, and structure for passing the error message generated therein to the next succeeding station in the communication loop, wherein each of the processors generates the error message by selecting an appropriate one of a plurality of messages stored in memory locations associated with each the processor. Each of the plurality of messages exists simultaneously in a plurality of spoken languages in the memory locations. The processors include structure for selecting the error messages in one of the languages. The base station includes a display, and the processor of the base station comprises means for displaying the error message received thereby on the display.

System with simultaneous storage of multilingual error messages in

A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and means directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprises a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations; the processors of the plurality of stations comprising means responsive to a determined signal from the processor of the base station to the processor of the next succeeding station of the identification data that the respective station has assigned to itself, whereby the processor of the base station receives data from the last of the plurality of stations corresponding to the number of the plurality of stations connected to the communication loop.

Asynchronous, peer to peer, multiple module control and communication

A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and apparatus for directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprise a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations. The processor of each respective one of the plurality of, responding to a signal from the processor of the base station, passes to the processor of the next succeeding station identification data that the respective station has assigned to itself, whereby the processor of the base station receives data from the last of the plurality of stations corresponding to the number of the plurality of stations connected to the communication loop. The base station includes a display. Each of the processors of the plurality of stations can generate error and status messages concerning the respective station, and can pass to the next succeeding station the error and status messages generated therein and received from the preceding adjacent station. The processor of the base station can display error and status messages received thereby on the display.

Multiple processing station message communication

A material processing apparatus for collating and feeding documents, comprising a plurality of document feeding modules, each of the modules including a source of documents, a queuing station, means for feeding documents from the source to the queuing station control means, and sensing means for sensing the position of a document within the module, a data link interconnecting adjacent modules, means for appling a collation signal to the control means for defining a collation operation in the module, the control means responsive to a arrival of documents at the queuing station in accordance with the collation signal for providing a ready signal, first and second modules positioned adjacent one another, the second being in a downstream location from the first module, the second module control means providing to the first module control means its the ready signal indicating the second module is ready to receive the document collation, the first module control means responsive to its ready signal and to the second module control means ready signal for releasing the first module queuing station, thereby allowing the first module to provide its ablation to the second module.

Asynchronous queuing and collation passage in an inserter

A material processing system for collating and feeding documents as collations for insertion into an envelope, comprising first and second feeding modules, and an insertion module, each of the feeding modules including document position sensing means and a controller, each of the feeding module controllers responsive to a first signal for creating a collation of documents and generating a second signal indicative of the collation, the second signal indicating an error condition in the collation when the sensors indicate non compliance with the first signal, means for passing the second signal from each feeding module controller to the insertion module, a rejection station positioned in the insertion module, the insertion module including a base controller, the base controller connected to the feeding module controllers and responsive to a collation error condition in the second signal for activating the reject station and rejecting the collation.

Asynchronous rejection in an inserter

A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, and means for transporting articles to be processed serially through the processing stations in a given order; the improvement wherein each of the processing stations comprises a data and control processing system, and further comprising a communication path interconnecting each the data and control processing system with the data and control processing system of the next preceding and next succeeding material processing station in the given order; each data and control processing system comprising means for controlling material processing at the respective station, means for signaling the data and control processing system of the next previous station that the respective station is ready to receive material to be processed therefrom, and means for directing data to the data control and processing system of the next succeeding station concerning material processing steps that have been taken in the respective station on material to be passed to the next succeeding station as well as data it may have received from the data and control processing system of the next previous station concerning material processing steps that had previously been taken on the material to be passed to the next succeeding station.

Growing community of inventors

New Fairfield, CT, United States of America

Robert J Francisco