摘要:
A method and apparatus are provided for sorting items to a plurality of sort destinations. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a track that guides the delivery vehicles to the sort destinations, which are positioned along the track. Once at the appropriate sort destination, the delivery vehicle ejects the item to the sort destination and returns to receive another item to be delivered.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. The mail is serially fed from a stack of mail into a system transport. The system transport conveys the mail to a reader/imaging station (80), which scans the mail to obtain image data corresponding to at least a portion of each piece. From the imaging station (80), the mail is conveyed to a scale (90), which weighs each piece. After the address for a piece of mail is determined, the piece is conveyed to a labeller (95), which applies a postage label onto the piece. In the preferred method of operation, the postage printed on the label is determined based on the determined address and the determined weight of the piece. After the postage label is adhered to the piece, it is conveyed past a verifier (100), which scans the printed label to ensure that the postage was printed properly, and the label was properly adhered. The mail is then sorted and stacked in a plurality of output bins.
摘要:
A series of documents (100) to be processed are optically inspected, and compared with a reference (h) standard to identify the relative orientation of each document. To this end, an image acquired from the document (preferably from each side of the document) is focused on an array (14) of picture elements (pixels) for electronically converting the acquired image to digital form. This produces a digitally encoded image, which can be enhanced if desired, defined by an array of pixels corresponding to the acquired image. For each acquired image, two reference areas, which are preferably symmetrically located on the document, are inspected for the presence of a pre-selected reference mark. Location of the reference mark in one of the two reference areas operates to determine the orientation of the document. Upon locating the reference mark on the document, identifying the orientation of the document relative to the apparatus, the document may then be mechanically re-oriented so that the documents are placed in a uniform orientation for further processing, if desired.
摘要:
A series of documents (100) to be processed are optically inspected, and compared with a reference (h) standard to identify the relative orientation of each document. To this end, an image acquired from the document (preferably from each side of the document) is focused on an array (14) of picture elements (pixels) for electronically converting the acquired image to digital form. This produces a digitally encoded image, which can be enhanced if desired, defined by an array of pixels corresponding to the acquired image. For each acquired image, two reference areas, which are preferably symmetrically located on the document, are inspected for the presence of a pre-selected reference mark. Location of the reference mark in one of the two reference areas operates to determine the orientation of the document. Upon locating the reference mark on the document, identifying the orientation of the document relative to the apparatus, the document may then be mechanically re-oriented so that the documents are placed in a uniform orientation for further processing, if desired.
摘要:
An apparatus (10) is provided for processing mail by severing an edge of each envelope (6) in a stack of mail. The apparatus includes an input bin (20) for receiving a stack of mail. A feeder (30) feeds the bottom envelope from the input bin (20) to a transport (60) that conveys the envelope along an envelope path. A cutter (70) positioned along the envelope path severs one edge of the envelopes. A detector (40, 50) detects a characteristic of the envelope and a sorter (80) sorts the envelope in response to the detected characteristic.