Mail weighing system and scale apparatus

US6949710B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Bowe Bell + Howell Postal Systems Company · US

Inventors

• Walter S. Conard · Lake Villa, US
• Patrick R. Casher · North Aurora, US
• John S. O'Callaghan · Wilmette, US
• Daniel Gibbons · Ulster Park, US
• Fredrick Hegland · Lake Zurich, US
• Roy C. Schoon · Glenview, US
• George Rabindran · Pembroke Pines, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 1, 2002
• Grant date: Sep 27, 2005
• Expiry date: Jul 9, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01G19/005
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method to individually weigh continuously fed mail pieces wherein each mail piece is configured in a vertical orientation and fed through the weighing system in seriatim. The apparatus contains a scale transport assembly for transporting mail pieces seriatim, a mail piece channel pathway assembly for maintaining the vertical orientation of individual mail pieces, a load cell assembly for measuring the mail piece weight, an x-y table assembly for allowing position adjustments of the weighing system, data collection circuitry, and a support module. The apparatus can be used in conjunction with bulk mail processing systems or it can be used independently.