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:
May. 01, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 23, 2000
John Overman, Evanston, IL (US);
George Rabindran, Davie, FL (US);
Steve Archer, Des Plaines, IL (US);
Sherrie Rice, Legal Representative, Buffalo Grove, IL (US);
Mike Stollenwerck, Libertyville, IL (US);
Mike Ogarek, Chicago, IL (US);
John Overman, Evanston, IL (US);
George Rabindran, Davie, FL (US);
Steve Archer, Des Plaines, IL (US);
Sherrie Rice, legal representative, Buffalo Grove, IL (US);
Mike Stollenwerck, Libertyville, IL (US);
Mike Ogarek, Chicago, IL (US);
Bowe Bell + Howell Postal Systems Company, Wheeling, IL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for combining multiple small stacks of flats mailpieces into a single large stack of mailpieces and then transferring the large stack to a standard flats mail tray, all while maintaining the sequence order of the mail in the accumulated stack. The apparatus is comprised of three primary subsystems: a bridge conveyor, a stack accumulator, and an output tray station. The bridge conveyor carries mailpieces from the exit conveyor of a mail processing machine such as a collator, to the stack accumulator. The stack accumulator combines small stacks of mailpieces into large stacks in a desired sequence. The output tray station provides support for an empty tray as the accumulated mail stack is transferred to the tray, and then releases the filled tray in a controlled manner.