Electronic postage meter having an accounting system independent of power failure
US4253015A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 28, 1979 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 28, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00395
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A postage meter has a printing mechanism positioned on a drum, and a driving gear for rotating the drum to imprint postage on a mailpiece. The driving gear is adapted to be externally driven. The meter also has a shutter bar engageable with the driving gear, and an interposer coupled to the shutter bar for inhibiting movement of the shutter bar. An electronic accounting system is also provided within the meter. A latch, which may be the interposer, is operative in response to the operating voltage for inhibiting more than a determined number of printing cycles. A counting device is incorporated to count printing cycles that were not registered, to thereby enable the electronic accounting system to bring the printing data up to date in the event, for example, of restoration of power following a power failure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.