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. 23, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 26, 1998
Taichiro Yamashita, Tsuchiura, JP;
Yasunori Hamada, Tsuchiura, JP;
Kazushi Yoshida, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Tadashi Osaka, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Junichi Tamamoto, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Apparatus for sorting and distributing sheet-like items, such as postal matter. A feeder successively feeds the sheet-like items with the front surfaces of all the items facing in the same direction. A stacker is positioned above the feeder for stacking the sheet-like items in an upright position. As the sheet-like items are conveyed from the feeder to the stacker, a selector activates either a first reader or a second reader to read address codes applied to the front surfaces or the back surfaces of the sheet-like items. The selector selects the one of the first reader and the second reader to be activated based on which of the front surfaces and the back surfaces of the sheet like items have address codes thereon.