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:
Jun. 11, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 14, 1994
George M Brookner, Norwalk, CT (US);
Kevin D Hunter, Stratford, CT (US);
Walter J Kulpa, Trumbull, CT (US);
Edward Mailhot, Stamford, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes, Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method is disclosed for controlling the operation of a mailing machine having a postage meter which includes a thermal printer which transfers wax ink from an ink ribbon to an envelope being fed through the mailing machine, in such a way that the printer cannot operate if the envelope is not is a proper position in the mailing machine to completely cover a feed roller which controls movement of the envelope and the ink ribbon. The mailing machine includes a microprocessor that responds to sensors positioned along the feed path of the envelope to prevent initiation of a printing operation if an envelope is not properly positioned in the mailing machine, and which terminates an ongoing printing operation in the event, either that the envelope becomes skewed with respect to the normal direction of feed such that it will expose a portion of the feed roller, or that the envelope is too short to receive the entire image which is intended to be printed thereon before the trailing edge of the envelope would uncover the feed roller.