Patent US5441159A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5441159A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for handling documents for delivery to remittance processing equipment
Assignee: Opex Corp
•
Filing: 1994-04-28
•
Granted: 1995-08-15
•
Expires: 2014-04-28
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for presenting documents to a remittance processing device includes an arm for receiving a plurality of the documents for presentation to the remittance processing device and a conveyor for drawing the received documents along the arm and to a delivery point adjacent to the remittance processing device, for serial presentation at the remittance processing device for remittance processing of the received documents. The apparatus can also operate to stack received documents, to separate paired documents, and to justify documents to a reference surface, for eventual presentation to the arm and its conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert R. DeWitt
- 👤 Jeffrey L. Chodack
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:23
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/02; B07C1/00; B43; B43M; B43M7/00; B43M7/02; B65; B65H; B65H2553/00; B65H2553/40; B65H2553/41; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
An apparatus for presenting documents that have been separated from envelopes for containing the documents to a remittance processing device, comprising an arm for receiving a plurality of the documents for presentation to the remittance processing device and means for conveying the received documents along the arm and to a delivery point adjacent to the remittance processing device, for serial presentation at the remittance processing device, thereby permitting remittance processing of the received documents.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
74 words
An apparatus for presenting documents that have been separated from envelopes for containing the documents to a remittance processing device, comprising an arm for receiving a plurality of the documents for presentation to the remittance processing device and means for conveying the received documents along the arm and to a delivery point adjacent to the remittance processing device, for serial presentation at the remittance processing device, thereby permitting remittance processing of the received documents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm is adjustable in position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the arm is pivoted for rotation about an axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm includes an output end, and wherein the output end communicates with a longitudinal transfer path for conveying documents through the remittance processing device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm includes an output end, and wherein the output end communicates with a stacker for collecting documents for delivery to a longitudinal transfer path for conveying documents through the remittance processing device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm includes an output end, and wherein the output end communicates with a chute associated with the remittance processing device, for receiving documents from the output end of the arm, for introduction into the remittance processing device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm includes an output end, and wherein the output end includes a collection chute for receiving documents from the output end of the arm, for controlled delivery to the remittance processing device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the collection chute further includes a slot communicating with the collection chute, for receiving documents for introduction into the collection chute along a path different from a primary path extending between the output end of the arm and the remittance processing device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the collection chute further includes means for detecting documents passing through the collection chute, for controlling operations of the apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the detecting means communicates with means for controlling operations of the conveying means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveying means has a height, wherein the documents conveyed along the arm exhibit a height, and wherein the height of the conveying means is less than the height of the documents.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes gating means for directing documents between the arm for receiving the documents for presentation to the remittance processing device and defining a first arm associated with a first remittance processing device, and a second arm associated with a second remittance processing device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 12 which further includes gating means for directing documents between the second arm associated with the second remittance processing device and a third arm associated with a third remittance processing device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the gating means operates responsive to means for identifying characteristic features associated with the documents.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the gating means operates responsive to means for identifying orientations of the documents, for directing the documents toward the remittance processing devices according to the identified orientations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the gating means operates responsive to means for detecting coded markings on the documents, for directing documents toward the remittance processing devices according to the detected markings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus communicates with means for extracting the documents from a plurality of envelopes for containing the documents, for receiving the plurality of documents from the extracting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes stacking means for receiving the plurality of documents and for stacking the received documents for delivery to the arm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the stacking means includes a first conveyor system for receiving the documents and for collecting the received documents within a bin disposed between the first conveyor system and a fixed guide, and a second conveyor system for defining a nip with the first conveyor system, for directing received documents into the bin for collecting the documents.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first conveyor system includes a linear section which is substantially parallel with the fixed guide, for receiving the documents therebetween.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the linear section remains substantially parallel with the fixed guide irrespective of the number of documents received between the first conveyor system and the fixed guide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first conveyor system defines a parallelogram irrespective of the number of documents received between the first conveyor system and the fixed guide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the second conveyor system is rotatable about an axis for maintaining contact with the first conveyor system responsive to movements of the first conveyor system within the bin of the stacking means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the second conveyor system includes means for corrugating received documents, for delivery between the first conveyor system and the fixed guide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the stacking means further includes means for selectively discharging documents from the stacking means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the discharging means includes means for separating the documents received by the stacking means, for serial presentation to the arm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the discharging means includes first rollers for directing a document adjacent to the fixed guide toward a delivery point, and second rollers associated with the delivery point for passing the documents from the stacking means one at a time.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the first rollers are connected to the second rollers through a one-way clutch which can be overdriven by documents entering the bin of the stacking means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the second rollers each include a frictional surface, and wherein the frictional surface of one of the second rollers has a coefficient of friction which is higher than the coefficient of friction for the frictional surface of the other one of the second rollers, for passing the documents from the stacking means one at a time.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the one of the second rollers with the frictional surface having the higher coefficient of friction is positioned adjacent to the fixed guide.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the means for selectively discharging documents from the stacking means operates responsive to signals associated with the remittance processing device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 19 which further includes an edge guide adjacent to the first conveyor system and the fixed guide, for aligning the documents received within the bin of the stacking means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the edge guide receives an edge of each of the documents received within the bin, for uniformly aligning the document edges with the edge guide.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein paired documents are received by the first conveyor system.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein each of the paired documents has an edge for contacting the edge guide, and wherein the edge of a first document of the paired documents is offset relative to the edge of a second document of the paired documents so that the first conveyor system engages each of the paired documents as the paired documents are received within the bin.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 35 which further includes means for shifting the first document relative to the second document, for offsetting the edge of the first document relative to the edge of the second document.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the first conveyor system communicates with the shifting means, for receiving the paired documents from the shifting means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the shifting means includes a first drum and a first roller contacting the first drum, wherein the first roller rotates at a rate which differs from the rate of rotation of the first drum.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the difference in rate of rotation is adjustable, thereby adjusting the shifting of the first document relative to the second document.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the rate of rotation of the first roller exceeds the rate of rotation of the first drum.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the first drum includes means for frictionally engaging the first document in contact with the first drum.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the engaging means is an O-ring extending around peripheral portions of the first drum.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 38 which further includes means for justifying the documents to a selected reference surface.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the first roller is disposed at an angle to the first drum, for urging the first document toward the reference surface.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the first roller is disposed at an angle which progresses toward the reference surface.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the reference surface is a flange extending from end portions of the first drum.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 44 which further includes a second drum and a second roller contacting the second drum, wherein the second roller is disposed at an angle to the second drum, for urging a second document toward the reference surface.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the second roller is disposed at an angle which progresses toward the reference surface.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the reference surface is a flange extending from end portions of the second drum.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the second roller rotates at a rate which substantially equals the rate of rotation of the second drum.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the rate of rotation of the first drum substantially equals the rate of rotation of the second drum.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the second roller is formed of a friction-producing material.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the second drum is positioned adjacent to the first drum, for receiving documents discharged from between the first drum and the first roller.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the first roller is formed of a friction-producing material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-08-14 | 1999-02-13 | 1999-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-08-14 | 2003-02-13 | 2003-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-08-14 | 2007-02-13 | 2007-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |