The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 1990
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1989
Dean H Foster, Stratford, CT (US);
William J Wright, Killingworth, CT (US);
Richard E Kish, Fairfield, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
In a machine including structure for feeding an unsealed envelope downstream in a path of travel, wherein the envelope has a body portion and a flap portion folded in overlying relationship with the body portion and has a free edge, there is provided apparatus for unfolding the flap portion of an envelope. The apparatus includes a first guide member extending parallel to the path of travel; a finger member rotatable into engagement with the flap portion for bending the body portion against the first guide member to form a gap between the flap portion and body portion; a second guide member extending into the path of travel for engaging an envelope fed thereto downstream of the finger member; structure for sensing an envelope in the path of travel; structure responsive to the sensing structure for causing the finger member to rotate into engagement with the flap portion when the envelope is fed downstream in the path of travel; and the second guide member dimensioned for entry into the gap and progressively moving the free edge of the flap portion away from the body portion when the feeding structure feeds the envelope into engagement with the second guide member.