Single-motor setting and printing postage meter
    1.
    发明授权
    Single-motor setting and printing postage meter 失效
    单电机设置和打印邮费计

    公开(公告)号:US5654614A

    公开(公告)日:1997-08-05

    申请号:US422155

    申请日:1995-04-14

    IPC分类号: G07B17/00 H02P1/00

    摘要: A self-contained postage meter does not have a base separable from a main body. The single secure housing contains everything that would be in the main body of a prior art postage meter and everything that would be in a prior art meter base. Despite containing all these things, the single secure housing is small enough and light enough in weight to permit the entire meter to be readily transported to the post office for inspection or resetting. Within the single secure housing are the print rotor with value wheels, all the mechanisms for setting the print wheels, the descending and/or ascending register and associated microprocessor, and all the mechanisms for transport of the mail piece through the meter. Only a handful of controlled elements are required, chiefly a single inexpensive DC motor for franking and value wheel setting and a few electromagnets. Two one-way clutches are used so that rotation of the motor in one direction accomplishes a setting cycle for the value wheels and rotation of the motor in the other direction accomplishes a printing (franking) cycle.

    摘要翻译: 独立的邮资计不具有与主体分离的基座。 单个安全壳体包含现有技术邮资计费器的主体中的所有内容,以及现有技术的仪表基座中的所有内容。 尽管包含所有这些东西,单个安全的房屋足够小,​​重量轻,允许整个仪表易于运送到邮局进行检查或重新设置。 在单个安全壳体内是具有值轮的打印转子,用于设置打印轮,下降和/或上升寄存器和相关联的微处理器的所有机构以及用于通过仪表传送邮件的所有机构。 只需要少量的受控元件,主要是一种廉价的直流电动机,用于压印和价值车轮定位以及几个电磁铁。 使用两个单向离合器,使得电机在一个方向上的旋转实现了值轮的设定循环,并且电动机沿另一方向的旋转实现了打印(压印)循环。

    Postage meter with rotor movement and die cover sensor
    2.
    发明授权
    Postage meter with rotor movement and die cover sensor 失效
    具有转子运动和模具盖传感器的邮资计

    公开(公告)号:US5746133A

    公开(公告)日:1998-05-05

    申请号:US446218

    申请日:1995-05-22

    IPC分类号: B41K3/12 G07B17/00 B41F1/66

    摘要: A postage meter has an improved means of monitoring the position of the cover providing access to the print rotor. A mechanical latch and associated mechanism is provided responsive to a cam on the print rotor and responsive to the movement of the cover, and the mechanism has an electrical sensor output to the processor of the postage meter. In the event that the cover is opened at a time when the rotor is away from its home position, for example at a time when the power to the meter has failed, the latch enters a latched state. Upon the restoration of power the meter determines if the rotor is away from its home position, and if it is, the meter inspects the sensor output to determine if the latch has been caused to enter its latched state. This condition is annunciated, for example by rendering the meter incapable of printing postage. The meter has a hardware circuit external to the processor which receives as an input at least one signal indicative of rotation of the print rotor, and which counts the rotations. The circuit also receives a reset signal from the processor which, it is assumed, will be provided if the processor is functioning normally but will not be provided in the event of processor malfunction. If the counter reaches a predetermined threshold the circuit halts the print motor.

    摘要翻译: 邮资计具有改进的方式来监视盖子的位置,提供对打印转子的访问。 响应于打印转子上的凸轮并且响应于盖的移动而提供机械闩锁和相关联的机构,并且机构具有输出到邮资计费器的处理器的电传感器。 如果盖子在转子远离其原始位置时被打开,例如在仪表的电源发生故障的时候,闩锁进入锁定状态。 在电源恢复时,仪表确定转子是否远离其原始位置,如果是,仪表检查传感器输出,以确定闩锁是否已经进入其锁定状态。 这个条件被通知,例如通过使仪表不能打印邮资。 仪表具有处理器外部的硬件电路,其接收指示打印转子旋转的至少一个信号作为输入,并计数转动。 该电路还从处理器接收复位信号,如果处理器正常工作,但是在处理器故障的情况下将不会提供复位信号。 如果计数器达到预定阈值,则电路停止打印电机。

    Postage meter with improved paper path
    3.
    发明授权
    Postage meter with improved paper path 失效
    具有改进纸路径的邮资计费表

    公开(公告)号:US5706727A

    公开(公告)日:1998-01-13

    申请号:US403461

    申请日:1995-03-14

    IPC分类号: B41J13/12 B41J13/24

    CPC分类号: B41J13/12

    摘要: A postage meter has the print rotor and platen within a single secure housing, with a letter detection lever along the paper path downstream from the rotor. The letter detection lever is in a spring-loaded coupling relationship with the trigger that triggers franking. If a letter remains in the meter due to a paper jam, the detection lever continues to be actuated and the spring-loaded coupling keeps the trigger in the triggered position. The meter further comprises a platen carrier moving the platen toward and away from the rotor; when the rotor is in its home position a radial cam on the rotor and cam follower keep the carrier away from the rotor. When franking of a letter begins and the rotor begins to rotate, the rotor cam releases the cam follower, permitting the carrier to move up in spring-loaded relation toward the rotor. A letter stopper is in the paper path downstream from the rotor and helps to align the letter so that the postage imprint is optimally oriented on the letter. The trigger includes an enclosure containing a free-moving mass; the weight is constrained from radial and axial movement relative to the trigger pivot. The trigger is balanced in two axes in the plane in which it rotates, thus it has no net moment (or minimal net moment) about its pivot. The mass and the enclosure shape are selected to damp movement of the trigger as it returns to its home position after it is triggered.

    摘要翻译: 邮资计量表将打印转子和压板固定在单个固定壳体内,沿转子下游的纸路径具有字母检测杆。 字母检测杆与触发器的弹簧加载耦合关系触发盖章。 如果由于卡纸而将一个字母留在仪表中,则检测杆继续被致动,并且弹簧加载的联接器将触发器保持在触发位置。 仪表还包括压板架,使压板朝向和远离转子移动; 当转子处于其原始位置时,转子和凸轮从动件上的径向凸轮保持承载件远离转子。 当一封信封印开始并且转子开始转动时,转子凸轮释放凸轮从动件,允许载体以弹簧加载的关系朝向转子上升。 字母塞子位于转子下游的纸通道中,有助于对齐字母,以便邮寄印记在字母上最佳化。 触发器包括一个包含自由移动物体的外壳; 重量受到相对于触发枢轴的径向和轴向移动的限制。 触发器在其旋转的平面中的两个轴平衡,因此它的枢轴没有净力矩(或最小净力矩)。 选择质量和外壳形状以在触发器返回到其原始位置之后阻止触发器的运动。