Safety apparatus and method for automated services

Abstract

Apparatus and method for enhancing the safety of postal and other services, and in particular, that of mail-processing and mail-delivery personnel. The apparatus and method provide for the neutralization of various harmful substances that may have been inserted into or adhere to the outside a piece of mail. The apparatus includes conventional neutralization devices, such as UV light emitters, heaters, fogging or misting devices, ultrasonic emitters, ionizers, face masks and gloves. Furthermore, the apparatus and method enable identification of the place of origin of each individual piece of mail deposited with the service and the identity of the person who deposited it.

I claim:  
     
         1 . Apparatus for processing an article, said apparatus comprising: 
 a collection receptacle for receiving said article and collecting said article together with other articles to form a batch of articles; and    a neutralization means for neutralizing a harmful substance carried by said article, said neutralization means being mounted within said collection receptacle.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said neutralizing means is a dispenser of a fluid that contains a neutralizing agent.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said dispenser includes a fluid reservoir and a dispensing nozzle through which said fluid is discharged in said collection receptacle.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said neutralizing agent is formaldehyde.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said neutralizing agent is bleach.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said neutralizing agent is an ultraviolet (UV) light emitter.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said neutralizing agent is an ionizer.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an article tracking means for linking said article with a place of origin of a deposit into said collection receptacle.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said article tracking means includes a digital imaging device for recording an image of said article as it is deposited into said collection receptacle and a digital storage device for receiving image data of said article from said digital imaging device and storing said image data.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said image data of each article collected within said batch of articles is identified as being connected to said batch of articles.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a telecommunications link for linking said digital storage device to a telecommunications system.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said telecommunications link includes a satellite uplink-downlink installed on said collection receptacle.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said telecommunications link includes a telecommunications cable installed in said collection receptacle and coupled to a cable telecommunications system.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said telecommunications link includes a radio transmitter that transmits to a radio network.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said article tracking means includes a place-of-origin stamp that is mounted within said collection receptacle, and wherein said stamp imprints said article with place of origin information as said article is deposited within said collection receptacle.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a biometric feature scanner, wherein an individual depositing said article has a scannable biometric feature, and wherein said biometric feature scanner scans said biometric feature to obtain scanned biometric data from said individual.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said scanner is linkable to said digital storage device and said scanned biometric data is stored in said digital storage device.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said scanner is a retinal scanner and said biometric feature is a retina in an eye of said individual.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said scanner is a facial scanner and said biometric feature is a face of said individual.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said scanner is a fingerprint scanner and said biometric feature is a fingerprint of said individual.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising a card reader that is mounted on said collection receptacle and linked to said telecommunications system, wherein said individual has a unique ID card that is insertable into said card reader, and wherein said card reader transmits and receives data through said telecommunications system.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein said ID card contains recorded biometric data of said individual, and wherein said card reader compares said recorded biometric data with said scanned biometric data of said individual and determines whether said scanned biometric data and said recorded biometric data match.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said article is encased in a safety envelope through which said neutralizing agent is penetrable.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said safety envelope comprises an outer material and an inner material, said outer material being porous and allowing said neutralizing agent to pass freely therethrough, and wherein said inner material provides a barrier preventing passage of said harmful substance therethrough.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein passage through said barrier is unidirectional, allowing passage of said neutralizing agent from outside into said safety envelope and preventing passage of said harmful substance from inside said safety envelope to outside said safety envelope.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said safety envelope includes a device for neutralizing said harmful substance.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , said safety envelope further comprising an anti-static envelope liner.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said safety envelope includes an immunobiological assay pad for indicating the presence of said harmful substance.  
     
     
         29 . A method of processing articles deposited in a collection receptacle, said method comprising the step of equipping said collection receptacle with a dispenser for dispensing a neutralizing agent for neutralizing a harmful substance carried by an article deposited within said collection receptacle.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said step of equipping said collection receptacle with said dispenser includes the steps of: 
 a) mounting said dispenser within said collection receptacle; and    b) providing a dispensing system that automatically dispenses said neutralizing agent onto said article when said article is deposited into said collection receptacle.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising the step of providing an article tracking system for linking said article with a point of original deposit in said collection receptacle.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , said step of providing said article tracking system including the steps of: 
 a) providing a digital image device for recording an image of said article as it is deposited into said collection receptacle;    b) providing a data storage device for storing recorded image data of said article; and    c) providing a link to a telecommunications system for transmitting said recorded image data.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said step of providing said link to said telecommunications system includes providing a telecommunications link from a group consisting of a satellite uplink-downlink coupling to a satellite telecommunications system, a cable link to a cable network, a radio link to a broadcast network, and a link to a telephone network.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising recording said image data of said article and storing said image data on said storage device.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising the steps of: 
 a) identifying each collection pick-up of said articles from said collection receptacle with a pick-up batch identifier; and  
 b) linking said image data of each article in said each collection pick-up with said pick-up batch identifier.  
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a biometric feature scanner on said collection receptacle;  
 b) scanning a biometric feature of an individual depositing said article into said collection receptacle;  
 c) recording scanned data of said biometric feature; and  
 d) storing said scanned data in said data storage device.  
 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an ID card reader on said collection receptacle for reading digitally readable data on an ID card that is insertable in said ID card reader, said ID card containing recorded biometric data;  
 b) comparing said recorded biometric data from said ID card with said scanned biometric data.