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:
Nov. 01, 2011
Filed:
Nov. 05, 2009
Russell W. Holbrook, Southbury, CT (US);
Daniel J. Williams, Woodbury, CT (US);
Russell W. Holbrook, Southbury, CT (US);
Daniel J. Williams, Woodbury, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
An item handling system includes a vacuum source, a transport element defining a plurality of vacuum openings in fluid communication with the vacuum source to create a securing force on an item proximate to the transport element for holding the item in contact with the transport element, and a drive element for driving the transport element to transport the item. The transport element further defines a plurality of sensor openings arranged in two substantially parallel arrays along a longitudinal direction of the transport element. The system further includes a sensor associated with each array of sensor openings for sensing energy passing through the sensor openings to thereby sense the item on the transport element. Each sensor is disposed at a common longitudinal position relative to the transport element. Sensing the item corresponds to a condition where the sensor associated with each array is blocked.