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. 06, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1997
Steven Wynn Lopez, Orlando, FL (US);
Daniel Wayne Barber, Cambridge, CA;
Profold, Inc., Sebastian, FL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail. A method preferably includes positioning a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed is preferably defined as being the side of a piece of mail generally perpendicular to the address orientation when reading the address of the piece of mail. The method also preferably includes positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail. An apparatus for feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail preferably includes an intermixed mail feeder for feeding a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed is preferably defined as being the side of a piece of mail being generally perpendicular to the address orientation when reading the address of the piece of mail. The apparatus also preferably includes a tabber positioned downstream from the intermixed mail feeder and directly aligned with and adjacent the commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed for positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail.