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:
Feb. 20, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 28, 1999
R. Joe Stanley, Florissant, MO (US);
Gary Waldman, St. Louis, MO (US);
Gregory Hobson, St. Charles, MO (US);
John R. Wootton, St. Louis, MO (US);
Systems & Electronics, Inc., St. Louis, MO (US);
Abstract
A bulk mail processing system (,) conveys bulk mail containers (C) from a receiving station (R) at which the container is placed on a conveyor (,) to an unloading station (D) at which the contents of the container are dumped. A video camera (,) obtains an image of the container which is transmitted to a processor (,). The image is processed to determine if residual mail (M) is left in the container after it is emptied. A mechanism (,) removes the container from the conveyor, empties the container, and then returns the container back to the conveyor. A controller (,) controls operation of the emptying mechanism. The controller is responsive to an input from the processor that all the contents of a container have been removed to replace the empty container on the conveyor. The controller is further responsive to an input from the processor that there is residual mail left in the container to have the mechanism re-empty the container and so insure container is completely empty before being returned to the conveyor.