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:
Aug. 20, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 26, 2001
Christopher Julius Stefan, Derby, CT (US);
Eric A. Belec, Southbury, CT (US);
John J. Mercede, Jr., Easton, CT (US);
James A. Salomon, Cheshire, CT (US);
Steven A. Supron, Middlebury, CT (US);
Shae Lynn Wilson, Hamden, CT (US);
Leo Wologodzew, Shelton, CT (US);
Anthony E. Yap, Danbury, CT (US);
PItney Bowes, Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides an aligner apparatus which bottom edge aligns documents and separates documents and provides adequate gap between documents for subsequent processing. The an aligner apparatus includes first and second guide walls, forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path. A trap assembly including first and second trap levers is lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall and when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path in the aligner apparatus so as to control the gap between the documents. It apparatus further provides an adequate gap between documents while reducing noise. Each trap lever has a head portion which is fitted with a resilient pad which is attached to the trap arm in a manner that forms a gap between the head and the pad. The resilient pad and the gap operate to reduce noise created by the trap arm when actuated.