Non-contact envelope counter using distance measurement

Claim 2

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including a sensor for providing an output proportional to the position at which the reflected portion of the beam is received on the sensor and means for determining from said output the distance between the radiation source and the point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance and the beam scans the edge array; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from the signal the presence of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack.

Claim 3

A counter as in claim 1, wherein the radiation source comprises a laser.

Claim 4

A counter as in claim 2, wherein the laser and the detector are mounted on a movable carriage.

Claim 5

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including a sensor for providing an output proportional to the position at which the reflected portion of the beam is received on the sensor and means for determining from said output the distance between the radiation source and the point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from a plurality of said signals the presence of an object; means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack; and wherein the stacking member includes an upstanding end support member for retaining the stacked object in an upright position and means extending transversely from the end support member for engaging an object adjacent the support member to block passage of the beam between the end support member and said adjacent object.

Claim 6

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including a sensor for providing an output proportional to the position at which the reflected portion of the beam is received on the sensor and means for determining from said output the distance between the radiation source and the point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from a plurality of said signals the presence of an object; means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack; and wherein the stacking member includes an upstanding end support member for retaining the stacked object in an upright position and means extending transversely from the end support member for engaging an object adjacent the support member to block passage of the beam between the end support member and said adjacent object.

Claim 7

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including a sensor for providing an output proportional to the position at which the reflected portion of the beam is received on the sensor and means for determining from said output the distance between the radiation source and the point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from the signal the presence of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack; and wherein the beam from the radiation source and the portion of the beam reflected onto the sensor are in a plane substantially normal to the stack direction.

Claim 8

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including a sensor for providing an output proportional to the position at which the reflected portion of the beam is received on the sensor and means for determining from said output the distance between the radiation source and the point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from the signal the presence of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack; and wherein the beam from the radiation source and the portion of the beam reflected onto the sensor are in a plane substantially normal to the stack direction.

Claim 9

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including means for measuring the distance between the radiation source and a point of reflection of the beam in the edge array and providing signal representative of said distance; determining means for receiving the signal from the detector and determining from the signal the present of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack.

Claim 10

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: a stacking member for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with an edge of each object forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including means for measuring the distance between the radiation source and a point of reflection of the beam in the edge array and providing signal representative of said distance; determining means for receiving the signal from the detector and determining from the signal the present of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack.

Claim 11

A counter as in claim 6, wherein the means for measuring said distance between the radiation source and the edge array comprises means employing an optical triangulation method for determining said distance.

Claim 12

Apparatus for counting envelopes comprising: a member for disposing a stack of a plurality of envelopes with an edge of each envelope forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including means for optically determining the distance between the radiation source and a point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance as the beam scans the edge array; determining means for receiving the signal from the detector and determining from the signal the presence of an envelope by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to the determining means for counting the envelopes in the stack.

Claim 13

Apparatus for counting envelopes comprising: a member for disposing a stack of a plurality of envelopes with an edge of each envelope forming an edge array; a radiation source for directing a beam of radiant energy toward the edge array; means for effecting relative movement between the radiation source and the edge array, whereby the beam scans the edge array; a detector for receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation reflected from the edge array, the detector including means for optically determining the distance between the radiation source and a point of reflection of the beam from the edge array and providing a signal representative of said distance as the beam scans the edge array; determining means for receiving the signal from the detector and determining from the signal the presence of an envelope by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to the determining means for counting the envelopes in the stack.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the radiation source comprises a laser.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein the detector includes means for determining the distance between the laser and the point of reflection on the edge array comprises means for determining said distance by a triangulation method.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the laser and the detector are mounted on a carriage movable with respect to the stack.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 12, wherein the measuring step comprises optically measuring said distance.

Claim 20

A method as in claim 13, wherein the measuring step comprises a triangulation technique.

Claim 21

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: means for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with a portion of each object forming an array; an energy source for directing a beam of energy toward the array; means for effecting relative movement between the source and the array, whereby the beam scans the array; a detector for determining from said beam the distance between the source and the point of impingement of the beam from the array and providing a signal representative of the shape of the array; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from said signal the presence of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack.

Claim 22

A counter for counting stacked objects comprising: means for disposing a stack of a plurality of objects with a portion of each object forming an array; an energy source for directing a beam of energy toward the array; means for effecting relative movement between the source and the array, whereby the beam scans the array; a detector for determining from said beam the distance between the source and the point of impingement of the beam from the array and providing a signal representative of the shape of the array; determining means for receiving the signal and determining from said signal the presence of an object by detecting a change in slope of the signal from a first direction to a second direction, independently of comparison with a slope threshold signal; and means responsive to said determining means for counting the number of objects in the stack.

Claim 23

A counter as in claim 15, wherein the detector for determining said distance between the energy source and the array comprises means employing an optical triangulation method for determining said distance.

Claim 24

A counter as in claim 16, wherein the energy source comprises a laser.

Claim 25

A counter as in claim 16, wherein the energy source and the detector are mounted on a movable carriage.

Claim 26

A method as in claim 12, wherein the stacked objects are stuffed envelopes.