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:
Nov. 24, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 31, 1996
Daniel F Dlugos, Shelton, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
The invention is a method and apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a parcel. The invention begins by placing a parcel in the corner of a field of measurement upon a flat surface and against two adjacent walls. At the base of each wall, and along the angle where the adjacent walls meet, is a calibrated reflective strip. The calibration marks on each of the reflective strips are of known size and spacing. One or more sensors are activated and read the number of visible calibrated marks. The one or more sensors transmits this data to a processor which calculates the measurement for the length, width, and height of the parcel by subtracting the observed visible calibration marks from the number of possible calibration marks. If the flat surface, upon which the parcel has been placed is the weighing surface of a scale, then weight for the parcel can be determined. Each of the then calculated dimensions (length, width, height, and weight) can then be displayed and/or transmitted to a parcel processing system. Alternatively, the flat surface upon which the parcel is to be placed would require only one adjoining wall. Calibration marks are placed directly upon the flat surface and upon the one adjoining wall. The calibration marks on the flat surface appear as lines forming a chevron pattern progressing outwardly from a surface corner. The calibration marks on the adjoining wall are placed upon the wall from bottom to top.