EP1647940B1 - Feeding device with integrated differential weighing module - Google Patents
Feeding device with integrated differential weighing module Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1647940B1 EP1647940B1 EP05291231.8A EP05291231A EP1647940B1 EP 1647940 B1 EP1647940 B1 EP 1647940B1 EP 05291231 A EP05291231 A EP 05291231A EP 1647940 B1 EP1647940 B1 EP 1647940B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- receiver
- weighing
- jogging
- cell
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
- G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2515/00—Physical entities not provided for in groups B65H2511/00 or B65H2513/00
- B65H2515/10—Mass, e.g. mass flow rate; Weight; Inertia
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
- B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
- B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
- B65H2701/1916—Envelopes and articles of mail
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
- G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
- G07B2017/00483—Batch processing of mailpieces
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
- G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
- G07B2017/00701—Measuring the weight of mailpieces
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the specific field of mail processing. It is particularly aimed at a feed device for mailpieces for franking machine incorporating a differential weighing module.
- the invention proposes to overcome this drawback with a feed device for mail items incorporating a differential weighing module for continuous weighing and thus a supply of mail items at particularly high rates.
- An object of the invention is also to provide information to the operator in case of invalid weighing.
- a mailpiece supply device comprising a support housing receiving a load cell delivering a weighing signal, a receiving tray having longitudinal and transverse jogging walls of the mailpieces and on which a stack rests. of mail items, and intrusion detection means for detecting the intervention of an operator at the items carried by the weighing cell including said pile of mail items, characterized by extraction means automatic to eject one by one the mail items from the bottom of this stack, and in that, to overcome the contacts between the mail items and said jogging walls which are likely to distort the result of the weighing, the automatic extraction means and the receiving plate are carried by the weighing cell.
- the intrusion detection means may comprise at least one optical cell consisting of a transmitter and a receiver or at least one ultrasonic sensor consisting of a transmitter and a receiver.
- said intrusion detection means comprise three optical cells arranged at each angle. outer of the receiving tray so as to form a triangular protective surface in front of the mail items.
- the first optical cell comprises on the one hand an emitter mounted on said longitudinal jogging wall of mailpieces at its upper external angle and, on the other hand, a receiver mounted on said transverse jogging wall at its upper external angle.
- the second optical cell comprises, on the one hand, an emitter mounted on said transverse wall for jogging mailpieces at its upper external angle and, on the other hand, a receiver mounted on said receiving tray at its front external angle.
- the third cell comprises on the one hand a transmitter mounted on said receiving plate at its outer front angle and on the other hand a receiver mounted on said longitudinal jogging wall at its upper outer corner.
- said intrusion detection means comprise a plurality of optical cells arranged in parallel bundles between two parallel transverse walls of said support housing flanking said automatic extraction means and said reception tray carried by said weighing cell.
- the feed device may furthermore comprise processing means for calculating the weight of each of the extracted mailpieces as a function of weighing signals delivered by the weighing cell before and after the extraction of this article. mail by said automatic extraction means.
- the feed device may further comprise means for detecting the format of the extracted mail items.
- These format detection means comprise means for detecting the length of this mail item and means for detecting the width of this mail item.
- a mail processing machine is conventionally constituted of at least three functionally independent modules but in electrical connection, a mail item supply module, a weighing module and a franking module.
- Such a machine can frank mail items of different sizes within the limit of a determined thickness, for example 16 mm, corresponding to the height of the insertion slot of mail items in the franking module.
- the mail item supply module and the differential weighing module form a single device 10 disposed at the input of the franking module of these mail items (franking machine 12).
- this feed device comprises a receiving tray 14 on which the stack of mailpiece and 16 means of automatic extraction (preferably with pebbles) intended for transport and the ejection of the mail items to the franking module 12 after weighing.
- the receiving plate incorporates longitudinal 18 and transverse jogging walls 20 to precisely position the mail items for weighing them according to the known principle of differential weighing by means of a weighing cell 22 (typically sensor type load such as strain gages).
- a weighing cell 22 typically sensor type load such as strain gages.
- the extraction means are conventionally actuated by a drive motor 24, advantageously of electrical type, as a function of processing means 26, preferably microprocessor and associated software, which also manage the weight data provided by a weighing signal. of the weighing cell.
- processing means are not necessarily integrated in the feeder but can be constituted simply by the processing means of the franking module.
- the weighing module may also include format detection means (not shown) connected to the processing means and making it possible to provide it with data relating to the length and the width of this article of mail. , that is, the format of the mail article. Indeed, in some states such as the United States, Germany or Great Britain, the format of a mail item, as well as its weight, is a component used in calculating the amount of postage. It should be noted, however, that these means of format detection can just as easily be arranged directly in the franking module.
- the supply device also comprises means 28 for detecting the intervention of the operator at the stack of mail items during a recharging of this stack or more simply during a voluntary contact (withdrawal of an article, manual jogging for example) or not with this stack of mail items.
- These intrusion detection means advantageously luminous type, can be made by one or more optical cells each consisting of a transmitter and a receiver, the passage of the hand of the operator, a mail item or any other object interrupting the reception of the signal and thus changing the state of the receiver.
- the light barrier is formed by three optical cells 30, 32, 34 disposed at each outer corner of the feeder so as to form a triangular protective surface in front of the mail items.
- the transmitter 30A of the first is mounted on the longitudinal jogging wall 18 of the mail items at its upper outer corner and the receiver 30B on the transverse jogging wall at its upper outer corner.
- the transmitter 32A of the second optical cell is mounted on the transverse jogging wall 20 of the mail items at its upper outer corner and the receiver 32B on the receiving tray 14 at its outer front corner.
- the transmitter 34A of the third cell is mounted on the receiving plate 14 at its outer front angle and the receiver 34B on the longitudinal jogging wall 18 at its upper outer corner.
- the support housing 10A is provided with a U-shaped partition, with two parallel transverse walls 52A, 52B connected by a longitudinal wall 52C, flanking the receiving plate 14 and the automatic extraction means 16, and on which is mounted a plurality of optical cells 36A - 50B disposed in parallel beams between the two transverse walls.
- This light barrier thus disposed at the input of the feed device allows a complete control of the accessibility of the operator to all the elements carried by the weighing cell (receiving tray and extraction means) and in particular to articles mail.
- the feed device comprises visual or audible indicator means to warn the operator of the non-availability of the franking machine during his intervention.
- these indicators can of course be those of the franking module, as its display screen.
- the operator Beforehand, the operator will have made a first load of a stack of mail items on the receiving tray of the automatic feeding device and then put into operation both this device and the franking module in a first step 100.
- the differential weighing process is engaged in a step 102 unless the continuous scanning of the state of the optical cells shows only one beam is interrupted (test of step 104) in which case it is immediately stopped the weight acquisition cycle in a step 106. Indeed, the interruption of one of the beams generates a message to the processing means 26 managing the synchronization of the envelope starts and acquisitions of the signal of the weighing sensor.
- the acquisition cycle is resumed as soon as the beam is reestablished and ends in a next step 108 unless the continuous scanning of the state of the optical cells again shows that a beam is interrupted (test of the step 110) in which case it is immediately stopped the weight acquisition cycle with return to step 106.
- the weight obtained corresponding to the weight of the stack of articles of mail is stored in a new step 112.
- the mail item at the bottom of the pile can then be extracted in a step 114, the end of this extraction in a next step 116 giving the start to the acquisition of the weight of the extracted mail article unless the scanning continues the state of the optical cells again shows that a beam is interrupted (test of step 118) in which case it is immediately ejected the article of mail without postage and a corresponding message is sent to the operator by the visual or audible indication means in a step 120 then it is returned to step 106 for a new cycle of acquisition of the weight of the stack without the ejected mail article.
- the present invention can not be limited strictly to the described embodiments only.
- the detection means optical cells comprising a transmitter and a receiver facing each other, it is also possible to envisage optical cells comprising a common transmitter / receiver assembly facing a mirror-like reflection system.
- these light detection means may be advantageously substituted by any other similar device for such detection.
- ultrasonic sound detectors or image detectors / analyzers can also be used.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
- Controlling Sheets Or Webs (AREA)
- Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
Description
La présente invention se rapporte au domaine spécifique du traitement de courrier. Elle vise tout particulièrement un dispositif d'alimentation en articles de courrier pour machine à affranchir intégrant un module de pesée différentielle.The present invention relates to the specific field of mail processing. It is particularly aimed at a feed device for mailpieces for franking machine incorporating a differential weighing module.
Les modules de pesée différentielle destinés à être mis en oeuvre avec des machines d'affranchissement sont bien connus. Les demandes de brevet
La réalisation d'un dispositif d'alimentation automatique en articles de courrier intégrant un module de pesée différentielle et directement relié en entrée de la machine à affranchir est possible, mais soulève une difficulté technique. En effet, lors du fonctionnement habituel d'un tel alimenteur, l'opérateur est amené à intervenir sur la pile d'articles de courrier, soit pour faciliter le départ des articles pendant le traitement, soit pour recharger le magasin. La pesée de la pile d'articles de courrier peut donc être potentiellement perturbée par l'opérateur et doit être interrompue pendant les périodes de rechargement.The realization of an automatic feed device for mail items incorporating a differential weighing module and directly connected to the input of the franking machine is possible, but raises a technical difficulty. Indeed, during the usual operation of such a feeder, the operator is required to intervene on the stack of mail items, either to facilitate the departure of items during processing, or to reload the store. The weighing of the stack of mail items can therefore be potentially disturbed by the operator and must be interrupted during the periods of reloading.
L'invention se propose de pallier cet inconvénient avec un dispositif d'alimentation en articles de courrier intégrant un module de pesée différentielle permettant une pesée en continue et donc une alimentation en articles de courrier à des cadences particulièrement élevées. Un but de l'invention est aussi de fournir une information de l'opérateur en cas de pesée invalide.The invention proposes to overcome this drawback with a feed device for mail items incorporating a differential weighing module for continuous weighing and thus a supply of mail items at particularly high rates. An object of the invention is also to provide information to the operator in case of invalid weighing.
Ces buts sont atteints par dispositif d'alimentation en articles de courrier comportant un boîtier support recevant une cellule de pesée délivrant un signal de pesée, un plateau de réception comportant des parois longitudinale et transversale de taquage des articles de courrier et sur lequel repose une pile d'articles de courrier, et des moyens de détection d'intrusion pour détecter l'intervention d'un opérateur au niveau des éléments portés par la cellule de pesée y compris ladite pile d'articles de courrier, caractérisé par des moyens d'extraction automatique pour éjecter un à un les articles de courrier depuis le bas de cette pile, et en ce que, pour s'affranchir des contacts entre les articles de courrier et lesdites parois de taquage qui sont de nature à fausser le résultat de la pesée, les moyens d'extraction automatique et le plateau de réception sont portés par la cellule de pesée.These objects are attained by a mailpiece supply device comprising a support housing receiving a load cell delivering a weighing signal, a receiving tray having longitudinal and transverse jogging walls of the mailpieces and on which a stack rests. of mail items, and intrusion detection means for detecting the intervention of an operator at the items carried by the weighing cell including said pile of mail items, characterized by extraction means automatic to eject one by one the mail items from the bottom of this stack, and in that, to overcome the contacts between the mail items and said jogging walls which are likely to distort the result of the weighing, the automatic extraction means and the receiving plate are carried by the weighing cell.
Ainsi, avec ce dispositif d'alimentation automatique dans lequel tout contact avec les articles de courrier ou les éléments sur lesquels ils reposent ou s'appuient influe sur la cellule de pesée, il devient possible d'accepter des rechargements en fonctionnement. Le rechargement n'est pas interdit mais il va différer l'acquisition du poids tant que l'opérateur intervient.Thus, with this automatic feeding device in which any contact with the mail items or the elements on which they rest or rely affects the load cell, it becomes possible to accept reloads in operation. Reloading is not forbidden but it will postpone the acquisition of weight as long as the operator intervenes.
Les moyens de détection d'intrusion peuvent comporter au moins une cellule optique constituée d'un émetteur et d'un récepteur ou encore au moins un capteur ultrasonore constitué d'un émetteur et d'un récepteur.The intrusion detection means may comprise at least one optical cell consisting of a transmitter and a receiver or at least one ultrasonic sensor consisting of a transmitter and a receiver.
Selon un premier mode de réalisation, lesdits moyens de détection d'intrusion comportent trois cellules optiques disposées à chaque angle externe du plateau de réception de sorte à former une surface de protection triangulaire en avant des articles de courrier. La première cellule optique comporte d'une part un émetteur monté sur ladite paroi longitudinale de taquage des articles de courrier au niveau de son angle externe supérieur et d'autre part un récepteur monté sur ladite paroi transversale de taquage au niveau de son angle externe supérieur, la deuxième cellule optique comporte d'une part un émetteur monté sur ladite paroi transversale de taquage des articles de courrier au niveau de son angle externe supérieur et d'autre part un récepteur monté sur ledit plateau de réception au niveau de son angle externe avant et la troisième cellule comporte d'une part un émetteur monté sur ledit plateau de réception au niveau de son angle externe avant et d'autre part un récepteur monté sur ladite paroi longitudinale de taquage au niveau de son angle externe supérieur.According to a first embodiment, said intrusion detection means comprise three optical cells arranged at each angle. outer of the receiving tray so as to form a triangular protective surface in front of the mail items. The first optical cell comprises on the one hand an emitter mounted on said longitudinal jogging wall of mailpieces at its upper external angle and, on the other hand, a receiver mounted on said transverse jogging wall at its upper external angle. the second optical cell comprises, on the one hand, an emitter mounted on said transverse wall for jogging mailpieces at its upper external angle and, on the other hand, a receiver mounted on said receiving tray at its front external angle. and the third cell comprises on the one hand a transmitter mounted on said receiving plate at its outer front angle and on the other hand a receiver mounted on said longitudinal jogging wall at its upper outer corner.
Selon un second mode de réalisation, lesdits moyens de détection d'intrusion comportent une pluralité de cellules optiques disposées en faisceaux parallèles entre deux parois transversales parallèles dudit boîtier support encadrant lesdits moyens d'extraction automatique et ledit plateau de réception portés par ladite cellule de pesée.According to a second embodiment, said intrusion detection means comprise a plurality of optical cells arranged in parallel bundles between two parallel transverse walls of said support housing flanking said automatic extraction means and said reception tray carried by said weighing cell. .
Selon la configuration envisagée, le dispositif d'alimentation peut comporter en outre des moyens de traitement pour calculer le poids de chacun des articles de courrier extraits en fonction de signaux de pesée délivrés par la cellule de pesée avant et après l'extraction de cet article de courrier par lesdits moyens d'extraction automatique.Depending on the configuration envisaged, the feed device may furthermore comprise processing means for calculating the weight of each of the extracted mailpieces as a function of weighing signals delivered by the weighing cell before and after the extraction of this article. mail by said automatic extraction means.
Avantageusement, le dispositif d'alimentation peut comporter en outre des moyens de détection du format des articles de courrier extraits. Ces moyens de détection de format comportent un moyen de détection de la longueur de cet article de courrier et un moyen de détection de la largeur de cet article de courrier.Advantageously, the feed device may further comprise means for detecting the format of the extracted mail items. These format detection means comprise means for detecting the length of this mail item and means for detecting the width of this mail item.
D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention ressortiront mieux de la description suivante, faite à titre indicatif et non limitatif, en regard des dessins annexés, sur lesquels:
- la
figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'un premier exemple de réalisation selon l'invention d'un alimenteur pour une machine de traitement de courrier intégrant un module de pesée différentielle, - la
figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un second exemple de réalisation selon l'invention d'un alimenteur pour une machine de traitement de courrier intégrant un module de pesée différentielle, - la
figure 2A est une vue en coupe longitudinale de l'alimenteur de lafigure 2 , et - la
figure 3 est un organigramme illustrant le procédé de pesée différentielle mis en oeuvre dans l'alimenteur selon l'invention.
- the
figure 1 represents a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment according to the invention of a feeder for a mail processing machine incorporating a differential weighing module, - the
figure 2 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment according to the invention of a feeder for a mail processing machine incorporating a differential weighing module, - the
Figure 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the feeder of thefigure 2 , and - the
figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the differential weighing method implemented in the feeder according to the invention.
Une machine de traitement de courrier est constituée classiquement d'au moins trois modules fonctionnellement indépendants mais en liaison électrique, un module d'alimentation en articles de courrier, un module de pesée et un module d'affranchissement.A mail processing machine is conventionally constituted of at least three functionally independent modules but in electrical connection, a mail item supply module, a weighing module and a franking module.
Une telle machine peut affranchir des articles de courrier de différents formats dans la limite d'une épaisseur déterminée, par exemple 16 mm, correspondant à la hauteur de la fente d'introduction des articles de courrier dans le module d'affranchissement.Such a machine can frank mail items of different sizes within the limit of a determined thickness, for example 16 mm, corresponding to the height of the insertion slot of mail items in the franking module.
Conformément aux
Selon l'invention, ce dispositif d'alimentation comporte un plateau de réception 14 sur lequel repose la pile d'article de courrier et des moyens 16 d'extraction automatique (de préférence à galets) destinés au transport et à l'éjection des articles de courrier vers le module d'affranchissement 12 une fois la pesée effectuée. Le plateau de réception intègre des parois longitudinale 18 et transversale 20 de taquage pour positionner avec précision les articles de courrier en vue de leur pesée selon le principe connu de la pesée différentielle au moyen d'une cellule de pesée 22 (classiquement de type à capteurs de charge tels que des jauges de contrainte). Afin d'assurer une pesée de grande précision, non seulement les articles de courrier mais aussi tous les éléments en contact avec ces articles, c'est-à-dire le plateau de réception et les moyens d'extraction sont supportés par cette cellule de pesée elle-même portée par un boîtier support 10A du dispositif d'alimentation. Ainsi, les contacts entre les articles de courrier et les parois de taquage existant dans les modules de pesée différentielle de l'art antérieur qui sont de nature à fausser le résultat de la pesée sont éliminés.According to the invention, this feed device comprises a receiving
Les moyens d'extraction sont classiquement actionnés par un moteur d'entraînement 24, avantageusement de type électrique, en fonction de moyens de traitement 26, de préférence à microprocesseur et logiciel associé, qui gèrent également les données de poids fournies par un signal de pesée de la cellule de pesée. On notera que les moyens de traitement ne sont pas nécessairement intégrés dans le dispositif d'alimentation mais peuvent être constitués simplement par les moyens de traitement du module d'affranchissement.The extraction means are conventionally actuated by a
Selon l'utilisation qui en est faite, le module de pesée peut comporter aussi des moyens de détection de format (non représentés) reliés aux moyens de traitement et permettant de lui fournir des données relatives à la longueur et la largeur de cet article de courrier, c'est-à-dire au format de l'article de courrier. En effet, dans certains Etats comme les Etats-Unis, l'Allemagne ou la Grande Bretagne, le format d'un article de courrier, au même titre que son poids, est une composante entrant dans le calcul du montant d'affranchissement. On notera toutefois que ces moyens de détection de format peuvent tout aussi bien être disposés directement dans le module d'affranchissement.Depending on the use made of it, the weighing module may also include format detection means (not shown) connected to the processing means and making it possible to provide it with data relating to the length and the width of this article of mail. , that is, the format of the mail article. Indeed, in some states such as the United States, Germany or Great Britain, the format of a mail item, as well as its weight, is a component used in calculating the amount of postage. It should be noted, however, that these means of format detection can just as easily be arranged directly in the franking module.
Le dispositif d'alimentation comporte également des moyens 28 pour détecter l'intervention de l'opérateur au niveau de la pile d'articles de courrier lors d'un rechargement de cette pile ou plus simplement lors d'un contact volontaire (retrait d'un article, taquage manuel par exemple) ou non avec cette pile d'articles de courrier. Ces moyens de détection d'intrusion, avantageusement de type lumineux, peuvent être réalisés par une ou plusieurs cellules optiques chacune constituée d'un émetteur et d'un récepteur, le passage de la main de l'opérateur, d'un article de courrier ou de tout autre objet interrompant la réception du signal et modifiant donc l'état du récepteur.The supply device also comprises means 28 for detecting the intervention of the operator at the stack of mail items during a recharging of this stack or more simply during a voluntary contact (withdrawal of an article, manual jogging for example) or not with this stack of mail items. These intrusion detection means, advantageously luminous type, can be made by one or more optical cells each consisting of a transmitter and a receiver, the passage of the hand of the operator, a mail item or any other object interrupting the reception of the signal and thus changing the state of the receiver.
Dans l'exemple de réalisation de la
Dans l'exemple de réalisation de la
Ces deux réalisations, au contraire par exemple d'un capotage intégral dont la fermeture serait contrôlée par un capteur, permettent un rechargement pendant le fonctionnement du dispositif d'alimentation. En effet, l'invention n'interdit pas le rechargement mais diffère simplement l'acquisition du poids, de préférence pendant une durée minimum, tant que l'opérateur intervient. Avantageusement, le dispositif d'alimentation comporte des moyens indicateurs visuels ou sonores pour avertir l'opérateur de la non disponibilité de la machine d'affranchissement lors de son intervention. On noter que ces indicateurs peuvent bien entendu être ceux du module d'affranchissement, comme son écran de visualisation.These two embodiments, on the contrary for example of an integral cowling whose closure would be controlled by a sensor, allow recharging during operation of the supply device. Indeed, the invention does not prohibit reloading but simply differs from the acquisition of weight, preferably for a minimum period, as long as the operator intervenes. Advantageously, the feed device comprises visual or audible indicator means to warn the operator of the non-availability of the franking machine during his intervention. Note that these indicators can of course be those of the franking module, as its display screen.
Le fonctionnement du dispositif d'alimentation automatique est maintenant explicité en regard de l'organigramme de la
Au préalable, l'opérateur aura procédé à un premier chargement d'une pile d'articles de courrier sur le plateau de réception du dispositif d'alimentation automatique puis mis en route à la fois ce dispositif et le module d'affranchissement dans une première étape 100.Beforehand, the operator will have made a first load of a stack of mail items on the receiving tray of the automatic feeding device and then put into operation both this device and the franking module in a
A partir de cette mise en route, le processus de pesée différentielle est engagé dans une étape 102 à moins que la scrutation continue de l'état des cellules optiques ne montre qu'un faisceau est interrompu (test de l'étape 104) auquel cas il est procédé immédiatement à l'arrêt du cycle d'acquisition du poids dans une étape 106. En effet, l'interruption de l'un des faisceaux génère un message à destination des moyens de traitement 26 gérant la synchronisation des départs d'enveloppes et des acquisitions du signal du capteur de pesée.From this start-up, the differential weighing process is engaged in a
Le cycle d'acquisition est repris dès que le faisceau est rétabli et se termine dans une étape suivante 108 à moins que la scrutation continue de l'état des cellules optiques ne montre une nouvelle fois qu'un faisceau est interrompu (test de l'étape 110) auquel cas il est procédé immédiatement à l'arrêt du cycle d'acquisition du poids avec retour à l'étape 106. Une fois le cycle d'acquisition achevé, le poids obtenu correspondant au poids de la pile d'articles de courrier est mis en mémoire dans une nouvelle étape 112.The acquisition cycle is resumed as soon as the beam is reestablished and ends in a
L'article de courrier en bas de pile peut alors être extrait dans une étape 114, la fin de cette extraction dans une étape suivante 116 donnant le départ à l'acquisition du poids de l'article de courrier extrait à moins que la scrutation continue de l'état des cellules optiques ne montre encore une fois qu'un faisceau est interrompu (test de l'étape 118) auquel cas il est procédé immédiatement à l'éjection de l'article de courrier sans affranchissement et un message correspondant est adressé à l'opérateur par les moyens d'indication visuels ou sonores dans une étape 120 puis il est fait retour à l'étape 106 pour un nouveau cycle d'acquisition du poids de la pile sans l'article de courrier éjecté.The mail item at the bottom of the pile can then be extracted in a
Une fois l'acquisition du poids de l'article de courrier commencé seule une nouvelle interruption du faisceau (test de l'étape 122) peut entraîner une éjection de l'article de courrier sans affranchissement et le retour dans l'étape 106 après passage par l'étape précédente d'information de l'opérateur 120. A défaut de cette interruption, la fin du cycle d'acquisition du poids de la nouvelle pile (sans l'article extrait) est achevée dans une étape 124, le calcul du poids de l'article extrait est déterminé dans l'étape suivante 126 par différence entre les deux poids précédemment obtenus et ce poids est transmis au module d'affranchissement pour la détermination du montant d'affranchissement dans l'étape 128. Il ne reste plus qu'à mettre à jour le poids de la pile dans une dernière étape 130 avant de faire retour à l'étape 114 pour extraire un nouvel article de courrier.Once the weight of the mail piece has been started, only a new break in the beam (test of step 122) can result in ejection of the mail item without postage and return to step 106 after passage. by the preceding step of informing the operator 120. In the absence of this interruption, the end of the acquisition cycle of the weight of the new stack (without the extracted article) is completed in a
On observe donc que l'interruption d'un faisceau lumineux a des conséquences différentes sur le processus de pesée selon que cette interruption se produit avant ou après la fin d'acquisition du poids de la pile d'article de courrier. Avant, cette interruption entraîne un nouveau processus d'acquisition de ce poids, après elle entraîne de plus une éjection sans affranchissement avec avertissement de l'opérateur, car le poids ne pouvant être déterminé, l'article de courrier ne peut être affranchi.It is therefore observed that the interruption of a light beam has different consequences on the weighing process depending on whether this interruption occurs before or after the end of acquisition of the weight of the stack of mail item. Before, this interruption leads to a new process of acquisition of this weight, after it also causes an ejection without postage with warning of the operator, because the weight can not be determined, the mail piece can not be franked.
Bien entendu, la présente invention ne saurait être limitée strictement aux seuls exemples de réalisation décrits. Ainsi, si l'on a envisagé pour les moyens de détection des cellules optiques comportant un émetteur et un récepteur se faisant face, il est aussi envisageable des cellules optiques comportant un ensemble commun émetteur/récepteur faisant face à un système de réflexion de type miroir. De même, ces moyens de détection lumineux peuvent être substitués avantageusement par tout autre dispositif analogue permettant une telle détection. Ainsi, des détecteurs sonores à ultrasons ou bien des détecteurs/analyseurs d'images (avec les logiciels d'analyse appropriés) peuvent par exemple aussi être employés.Of course, the present invention can not be limited strictly to the described embodiments only. Thus, if it has been envisaged for the detection means optical cells comprising a transmitter and a receiver facing each other, it is also possible to envisage optical cells comprising a common transmitter / receiver assembly facing a mirror-like reflection system. . Similarly, these light detection means may be advantageously substituted by any other similar device for such detection. For example, ultrasonic sound detectors or image detectors / analyzers (with the appropriate analysis software) can also be used.
Claims (9)
- A mail article feeder device comprising:· a support housing (10A) receiving a weighing cell (22) for delivering a weighing signal;· a receiver tray (14) including longitudinal and transverse walls (18, 20) for jogging mail articles, and suitable for receiving a stack of mail articles; and· intrusion detector means (28) for detecting operator intervention on any of the elements carried by the weighing cell, including said stack of mail articles, the device being characterized in that it further comprises automatic extractor means (16) for ejecting the mail articles from the stack one by one; and in that, for eliminating contacts between the mail articles and said jogging walls which are liable to distort the weighing result, the automatic extractor means and the receiver tray are carried by the weighing cell.
- A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said intrusion detector means comprise at least one optical cell constituted by an emitter and a receiver.
- A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said intrusion detector means comprise three optical cells (30, 32, 34) disposed at each of the outside corners of said receiver tray so as to form a triangular protection surface in front of the mail articles.
- A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first optical cell comprises both an emitter (30A) mounted on said longitudinal wall for jogging mail articles near its top outside corner and a receiver (30B) mounted on said transverse jogging wall near its top outside corner; in that the second optical cell comprises firstly an emitter (32A) mounted on said transverse wall for jogging mail articles near its top outside corner and secondly a receiver (32B) mounted on said receiver tray near its front outside angle; and in that the third cell comprises firstly an emitter (34A) mounted on said receiver tray near its front outside corner and secondly a receiver (34B) mounted on said longitudinal jogging wall near its top outside corner.
- A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said intrusion detector means comprises a plurality of optical cells (36A-50B) disposed in parallel beams between two parallel transverse walls (52A, 52B) of said support housing placed around said automatic extractor means and said receiver tray carried by said weighing cell.
- A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said intrusion detector means comprise at least one ultrasound sensor constituted by an emitter and a receiver.
- A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further includes processor means (26) for calculating the weight of each extracted mail article as a function of weighing signals delivered by the weighing cell before and after extraction of said mail article by said automatic extractor means.
- A device according to claim 7, characterized in that it further includes format detector means for detecting the format of extracted mail articles.
- A device according to claim 8, characterized in that said format detector means comprise means for detecting the length of the mail article and means for detecting the width of the mail article.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR0407199A FR2872612B1 (en) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-06-30 | SUPPLY DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED DIFFERENTIAL WEIGHTING MODULE |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1647940A2 EP1647940A2 (en) | 2006-04-19 |
EP1647940A3 EP1647940A3 (en) | 2007-03-07 |
EP1647940B1 true EP1647940B1 (en) | 2016-05-11 |
Family
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP05291231.8A Expired - Fee Related EP1647940B1 (en) | 2004-06-30 | 2005-06-08 | Feeding device with integrated differential weighing module |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US7482542B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1647940B1 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2872612B1 (en) |
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US7416183B2 (en) * | 2005-06-06 | 2008-08-26 | Pitney Bowes Inc. | Postal weighing platform with integrated feeding and deskewing functions |
US20070078796A1 (en) * | 2005-10-03 | 2007-04-05 | Roman Kresina | Weighing feeder |
US8775331B1 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2014-07-08 | Stamps.Com Inc | Postage metering with accumulated postage |
US8612361B1 (en) | 2006-12-27 | 2013-12-17 | Stamps.Com Inc. | System and method for handling payment errors with respect to delivery services |
FR2918782B1 (en) * | 2007-07-10 | 2009-10-30 | Neopost Technologies Sa | POSTALIZATION METHOD WITH CORRECTION OF ERRORS. |
US20090087014A1 (en) * | 2007-10-01 | 2009-04-02 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | Skew/doublefeed detection in scanned images |
US10373398B1 (en) | 2008-02-13 | 2019-08-06 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Systems and methods for distributed activation of postage |
US9208620B1 (en) | 2008-04-15 | 2015-12-08 | Stamps.Com, Inc. | Systems and methods for payment of postage indicia after the point of generation |
US9978185B1 (en) | 2008-04-15 | 2018-05-22 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale |
CN102246013B (en) | 2008-12-09 | 2014-08-06 | 数据逻辑Adc公司 | Systems and methods for reducing weighing errors associated with partially off-scale items |
FR2940259A1 (en) * | 2008-12-19 | 2010-06-25 | Neopost Technologies | IMPROVED FEEDING DEVICE IN MAIL ARTICLES |
US9911246B1 (en) * | 2008-12-24 | 2018-03-06 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Systems and methods utilizing gravity feed for postage metering |
US10713634B1 (en) | 2011-05-18 | 2020-07-14 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Systems and methods using mobile communication handsets for providing postage |
US10846650B1 (en) | 2011-11-01 | 2020-11-24 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Perpetual value bearing shipping labels |
US10922641B1 (en) | 2012-01-24 | 2021-02-16 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Systems and methods providing known shipper information for shipping indicia |
US9805329B1 (en) | 2012-01-24 | 2017-10-31 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Reusable shipping product |
US20130232021A1 (en) * | 2012-03-02 | 2013-09-05 | Mettler-Toledo, LLC | System and method for differential weighing of items and reusable container for use therewith |
US9721225B1 (en) | 2013-10-16 | 2017-08-01 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Systems and methods facilitating shipping services rate resale |
US10417728B1 (en) | 2014-04-17 | 2019-09-17 | Stamps.Com Inc. | Single secure environment session generating multiple indicia |
USD730901S1 (en) * | 2014-06-24 | 2015-06-02 | Hand Held Products, Inc. | In-counter barcode scanner |
US10521754B2 (en) | 2016-03-08 | 2019-12-31 | Auctane, LLC | Concatenated shipping documentation processing spawning intelligent generation subprocesses |
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US5001648A (en) | 1989-10-18 | 1991-03-19 | M.A.I.L. Code, Inc. | Method and apparatus for a mail processing system |
CH682518A5 (en) * | 1991-07-09 | 1993-09-30 | Mettler Toledo Ag | Electronic scale with a device for standstill control. |
US20030204477A1 (en) * | 2002-04-24 | 2003-10-30 | Mcnett John C. | Mail processing system |
US7162459B2 (en) * | 2002-12-19 | 2007-01-09 | Pitney Bowes Inc. | Method and system for estimating weights of mailpieces |
US20040122775A1 (en) * | 2002-12-19 | 2004-06-24 | Pitney Bowes Incorporated | Method and system for automatic generation of indicia labels in a mail processing system |
US20050267849A1 (en) * | 2004-06-01 | 2005-12-01 | Pitney Bowes Incorporated | Method and system to reduce feeding and weighing errors in manual feed mailing systems |
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2004
- 2004-06-30 FR FR0407199A patent/FR2872612B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2005
- 2005-06-08 EP EP05291231.8A patent/EP1647940B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2005-06-30 US US11/172,411 patent/US7482542B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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US5813327A (en) * | 1996-12-26 | 1998-09-29 | Pitney Bowes Inc. | Article transport apparatus |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
FR2872612A1 (en) | 2006-01-06 |
FR2872612B1 (en) | 2006-11-10 |
US20060000648A1 (en) | 2006-01-05 |
US7482542B2 (en) | 2009-01-27 |
EP1647940A2 (en) | 2006-04-19 |
EP1647940A3 (en) | 2007-03-07 |
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