Pitney Bowes Inc.

Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems, Inc.

Robert J Hebert

Donald E Barker

George LeMoine

Roger F Lay

Harvey Epstein

John W DeMunda

Phillip L White

James G Gleason

A system for easy opening of sealed packages. The system comprises a tape dispensing apparatus, and a tape. The tape dispensing apparatus has a cutter therein. The tape is used for sealing a seam of a package. The tape is sized and shaped for being dispensed from the tape dispensing apparatus. The tape dispensed from the dispensing apparatus has a predetermined length cut by the cutter. The predetermined length of tape has a first side with a self-adhesive section for attaching the predetermined length of tape to the package. The predetermined length of tape also includes a non-adhesive section, and a ribbon disposed on the first side of the tape section. The predetermined length of tape has a tear strip defined by the ribbon, and non-adhesive section of the first side together. The tear strip extends longitudinally along the predetermined length of tape. The tear strip ends in a pull tab for pulling the tear strip open and opening the predetermined length of tape attached to the package.

System for opening sealed packages, tape dispenser, and tape

An apparatus for stacking mailpieces received from a mail processing machine includes a deck; a sloped wall extending from the deck; a plurality of continuous belts each extending along the deck in a first direction and positioned at substantially equal intervals along a second direction of the deck, each of the plurality of continuous belts having a top surface which extends above the deck and which contacts the mailpieces received from the mail processing machine; structure for driving the plurality of belts in the first direction to move the received mailpieces along the sloped wall in a shingled configuration; a registration wall disposed on the deck to define a landing area on the deck for the received mailpieces, the registration wall being mounted for slideable movement along the deck in the second direction to change a size of the landing area to accommodate the receiving of different sized mailpieces from the mail processing machine; and structure, connected to the registration wall and the plurality of continuous belts, for automatically moving at least some of the plurality of continuous belts along the second direction in response to movement of the registration wall along the second direction, wherein at times when the registration wall is moved along the second direction the intervals at which the plurality of continuous belts are positioned along the second direction change in size but remain substantially equal to each other.

Mailpiece stacking structure

Growing community of inventors

Southbury, CT, United States of America

Robert J Hebert