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:
Jun. 05, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 05, 1999
Michael Schmidt-Kretschmer, Lehnitz, DE;
Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co., Birkenwerder, DE;
Abstract
An apparatus separates printed media, especially letters or envelopes, which are disposed as stacks between a spring-mounted curved pressure plate and drive rolls as well as a guide plate inclined slightly to the rear. Cylindrical envelope surfaces of the drive rolls project through openings in the guide plate. The printed media are transported away to the side. Such an apparatus is used in mail processing systems for reliably pre-separating and separating the printed media with the lowest possible technical outlay and space requirement. The apparatus includes a pre-separating area with drive-roll combinations having different coefficients of friction and a common, separate drive with freewheeling as well as a separating area with separating elements, a sensor for detecting printed media, an ejection-roll pair on the outlet side and a common, separate drive. The sensor is disposed in the vicinity of the separating elements and is linked electrically to the drive for the drive-roll combinations, in such a way that the drive is switched to freewheeling when the start of a printed medium is detected and is switched on when the end of a printed medium is detected. In this way, a jam upstream of the separating area is effectively avoided.