Supply station for positioning enclosures on an enclosure-collating path

US7690644B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Martin Sting · Bad Vilbel, DE
• Christian Botschek · Rödermark, DE
• Rainer Oberheim · Bensheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 8, 2004
• Grant date: Apr 6, 2010
• Expiry date: Jan 25, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65H2701/1916
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A supply station for positioning enclosures on an enclosure-collating path of a mail-processing installation allows a simple conversion from operation for processing a stack of comparatively flexible, thin enclosures to operation for processing a stack of comparatively thick, essentially inflexible enclosures. The conversion is achieved using a magazine housing inside a supply station housing mounted so that it can be secured in two different pivot positions, whereby in one pivot position the lowermost enclosure of a stack of enclosures is bent using a vacuum arrangement in which the front end of the enclosure in the withdrawal direction can be gripped by a gripper, while in a second pivot position of the magazine housing, the front end in the withdrawal direction of a lowermost, comparatively thick and essentially inflexible enclosure is pushed by means of a pusher arrangement directly into the open claws of the gripper.