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:
Mar. 28, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 11, 1997
Gerald C Freeman, Norwalk, CT (US);
Norman R Lilly, Shelton, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A mailing machine has an envelope transport device extending longitudinally therethrough and a digital ink jet printing device located adjacent the downstream end of the transport device. Due to the criticality of the spacing between the upper surface of an envelope and the discharge nozzles of the ink jet print head, the envelopes passing through the mailing machine must have their upper surfaces registered with a fixed plane that extends in spaced relationship with the nozzles. The mailing machine includes a flap closing device having fixed and movable elements that can accommodate variations in thickness of the envelopes extending from the registration plane downwardly within a fixed range so that the flap closing device can simultaneously close the flaps of both thin and thick envelopes passing through the mailing machine in a mixed stream.