EP0336589A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Franking machine
Assignee: Avery Weigh Tronix Ltd
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Filing: 1989-03-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-03-17
Abstract
Abstract The invention concerns a franking machine comprising printing means (34) for impressing postal franks on articles such as letters. The machine further includes a weighing pan (11) coupled to a load cell (35), a microprocessor (41) operative to respond to the output of the load cell (35) for controlling the operation of the printing means (34), and input means (13) whereby the scale of charges appropriate to an article to be weighed and franked can be entered by the user, the arrangement being such that an article can be weighed, the appropriate value of postal charges calculated by the microprocessor (41) and subsequently franked in the same machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy Christopher Stubbs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:46
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G19/00; G01G19/002; G01G19/005; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00661; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00193; G07B2017/00266; G07B2017/00274; G07B17/00362; G07B2017/0037; G07B17/00467; G07B2017/00483; G07B2017/00701
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A franking machine comprising printing means (34) for impressing postal franks on articles such as letters and characterised in that it further includes a weighing pan (11) coupled to a load cell (35), a microprocessor (41) operative to respond to the output of the load cell (35) for controlling the operation of the printing means (34), and input means (13) whereby the scale of charges appropriate to an article to be weighed and franked can be entered by the user, the arrangement being such that an article can be weighed, the appropriate value of postal charges calculated by the microprocessor (41) and subsequently franked in the same machine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A franking machine comprising printing means (34) for impressing postal franks on articles such as letters and characterised in that it further includes a weighing pan (11) coupled to a load cell (35), a microprocessor (41) operative to respond to the output of the load cell (35) for controlling the operation of the printing means (34), and input means (13) whereby the scale of charges appropriate to an article to be weighed and franked can be entered by the user, the arrangement being such that an article can be weighed, the appropriate value of postal charges calculated by the microprocessor (41) and subsequently franked in the same machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A franking machine as claimed in Claim 1, and characterised in that the input means (13) comprise a keyboard, the keys (15, 16, 17, 17′, 18) of the keyboard being arranged in groups with each group relating to a particular class of mail.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A franking machine as claimed in Claim 2, and characterised in that at least some of the said groups of keys are subdivided into sub-categories representing the different postal rates that can be applied to the category.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A franking machine as claimed in Claim 3, and characterised in that each group of keys has an associated pictogram.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A franking machine as claimed in Claim 3, and characterised in that the keyboard (13) includes a liquid crystal display (19) operative to display a pictogram appropriate to the group or sub-group selected by an operator of the machine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A franking machine as claimed in Claim 3, and characterised in that the machine includes an arrangement for setting a limit to the amount available for franking, such arrangement comprising means for reading a Smart Card.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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