Item handling systems, such as mail piece handling systems, for example, are known in the art. These systems include inserter systems, sortation systems, and document transports. Inserter systems generally create mail pieces and prepare them for mailing. Sortation systems sort completed mail pieces by a designated parameter, such as delivery address, for example, and deposit the mail pieces in a respective pocket or bin. Document transports move documents between processing devices. Other types of item handling systems and related applications are known.
In some handling systems, documents are transported using belts or chain drives between stations where they undergo various types of processing. The processing may include cutting, folding, scanning, weighing, printing, and labeling, for example.
Some of the processing steps require that a document be maintained in a particular orientation or at a particular distance from a processing element. In one example, a scanning device may require a particular alignment or offset distance between the document and the device. In another example, certain printing devices, such as inkjet printers, for example, require a constant offset with respect to the document to ensure printing integrity.
In addition, many of the processing steps require precise knowledge of the location of the document. For example, labeling devices and/or printers require information regarding a document's location in order to apply a label or an image in a desired location on the document.
In those cases, the control of the document provided by the transport belts or chains may affect the ability to properly orient and register the document for processing. Moreover, conventional sensors for determining a document's location may require the use of transport systems that provide holding forces that are insufficient to properly maintain documents on the transport element during transport.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds