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:
Jul. 15, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1995
Jonathan D Emigh, Somerset, CA (US);
Raymond P Porter, Somerset, CA (US);
Motaz M Qutub, Rancho Cordova, CA (US);
North American Capital L.L.C., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for singulating sheets from a stack of sheets and transporting individual ones of them to a conveyor. A picker arm is mounted at its upper end to a rotatable shaft, for reciprocating movement between first and second positions. A lower end of the arm includes a foot and a movable gripper jaw. When the arm is rotated into the first position, it grasps a segregated sheet. As the arm reverses direction and rotates toward the second position, it draws the sheet away from the stack. A sensor, provided within the foot, produces an electrical signal corresponding to the thickness of the sheet. The digital output signal is compared to a reference, or calibration value stored in a computer. If the output signal falls unacceptably outside the reference value, a signal is stored to effect later outsorting. Just before the arm reaches the second position, the jaw is opened, dropping the sheet upon the conveyor. The conveyor is successively indexed to other picking arm stations, collating sheets for subsequent insertion into an envelope. The computer effects a downstream outsort of any envelopes containing a defective load.