Shuttle envelope feeder with suction cup assist

Abstract

An envelope feeder for removing envelopes from an envelope stack. The envelope feeder comprises a shuttle plate and a suction cup assembly. The shuttle plate translates between a position under the envelope stack and another position partially remote from the envelope stack. The shuttle plate includes an orifice passing through its surface and an envelope gripping mechanism in connection with a vacuum valve. The suction cup assembly has a suction cup connected to a hollow rod that is in connection with another vacuum valve. An actuator engages the suction cup and moves the suction cup between an extended position and a retracted position. The suction cup attaches to an envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack when it is in the extended position, and pulls the envelope toward the shuttle plate as it moves to the retracted position. Then the envelope gripping mechanism retains the envelope, allowing the shuttle plate to remove the envelope from the envelope stack.

1 . An envelope feeder in an envelope insertion machine for removing envelopes from an envelope stack, comprising: 
 a shuttle plate operable between a first position under said envelope stack and a second position at least partially remote from the envelope stack, the shuttle plate having a surface dimensioned for receipt of an envelope, said surface having a leading edge, the shuttle plate having a first orifice passing through said surface, the shuttle plate further having an envelope gripping mechanism extended to the leading edge and in communication with a shuttle vacuum valve;    a first suction cup having an upper rim and a lower neck with an opening formed therein, said first opening connecting to a first hollow rod and said first hollow rod in communication with a first vacuum valve;    a first actuator in cooperative engagement with the first suction cup for moving the first suction cup between an extended position that passes through the first orifice in the shuttle plate to a retracted position where the upper rim is at least flush with the surface;    means for activating the first vacuum valve at least when the first suction cup is in the extended position so that the first suction cup attaches to an envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack and so that the first suction cup pulls said envelope toward the surface of the shuttle plate as the first actuator moves from the extended position to the retracted position; and    means for activating the shuttle vacuum valve at least when said envelope is pulled toward the surface of the shuttle plate so that the envelope is retained by the envelope gripping mechanism; thereby allowing the shuttle plate to remove said envelope from the envelope stack as the shuttle plate moves to its second position.    
   
   
       2 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 1 , wherein the first suction cup and the first actuator are translationally stationary in relationship to the shuttle plate, and the first orifice is dimensioned so that the first suction cup resides inside the first orifice when the suction cup is in the retracted position.  
   
   
       3 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 1 , wherein the first suction cup and the first actuator are translationally stationary in relationship to the envelope insertion machine, and the first orifice is dimensioned so that the first suction cup resides inside the first orifice when the suction cup is in the retracted position in a manner so that the first suction cup is not in obstruction with the movement of the shuttle plate.  
   
   
       4 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second orifice passing through said surface of said shuttle plate;    a second suction cup having an upper rim and a lower neck with an opening formed therein, said opening connecting to a second hollow rod and said second hollow rod in communication with a second vacuum valve;    a second actuator in cooperative engagement with the second suction cup for moving the second suction cup between an extended position that passes through the second orifice in the shuttle plate to a retracted position where the upper rim is at least flush with the surface;    means for activating the second vacuum valve at least when the second suction cup is in the extended position so that the second suction cup attaches to an envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack and so that the second suction cup pulls said envelope toward the surface of the shuttle plate as the second actuator moves from the extended position to the retracted position.    
   
   
       5 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 the first suction cup and the first actuator are translationally stationary in relationship to the shuttle plate, and the first orifice is dimensioned so that the first suction cup resides inside the first orifice when it is in the retracted position; and    the second suction cup and the second actuator are translationally stationary in relationship to the envelope insertion machine, and the second orifice is dimensioned so that the second suction cup moves within the second orifice when it is in the retracted position in a manner so that the second suction cup is not in obstruction with the movement of the shuttle plate.    
   
   
       6 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for activating the first vacuum valve includes an input/output control module in communication with a programmable logical device for controllably activating the first vacuum valve.  
   
   
       7 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 6 , further comprising a first air cylinder valve connected to the first actuator, said first air cylinder valve controllable by said input/output control module.  
   
   
       8 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for activating the shuttle vacuum valve includes an input/output control module in communication with a programmable logical device for controllably activating the shuttle vacuum valve.  
   
   
       9 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 4 , wherein the means for activating the second vacuum valve includes an input/output control module in communication with a programmable logical device for controllably activating the second vacuum valve.  
   
   
       10 . The envelope feeder according to  claim 9 , further comprising a second air cylinder valve connected to the second actuator, said second air cylinder valve controllable by said input/output control module.  
   
   
       11 . A method for an envelope feeder in an envelope insertion machine to remove an envelope from an envelope stack, said envelope feeder having a suction cup operable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a shuttle plate operable between a first position under the envelope stack and a second position at least partially remote from said envelope stack, said shuttle plate having a surface dimensioned for receipt of an envelope, an orifice passing through the shuttle plate, and an envelope gripping mechanism in communication with a shuttle vacuum valve, said method comprising the steps of: 
 placing the shuttle plate in the first position,    moving the suction cup positioned within said orifice between a retracted position that is at least flush with the surface of the shuttle plate and an extended position that is in contact with an envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack, and    controlling the air pressure within the suction cup so that the suction cup has a lower air pressure than the ambient air pressure when the suction cup is in the extended position and while it moves from the extended position to the retracted position;    whereby the envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack is pulled down toward the surface of the shuttle plate so as to facilitate the acquisition of said envelope by the envelope gripping mechanism.    
   
   
       12 . A method for an envelope feeder in an envelope insertion machine to remove an envelope from an envelope stack, said envelope feeder having a first suction cup operable between an extended position and a retracted position, a second suction cup operable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a shuttle plate operable between a first position under the envelope stack and a second position at least partially remote from said envelope stack, said shuttle plate having a surface dimensioned for receipt of an envelope, a first and a second orifice each passing through the shuttle plate, and an envelope gripping mechanism in communication with a shuttle vacuum valve, said method comprising the steps of: 
 placing the shuttle plate in the first position,    moving the first suction cup positioned within said first orifice between a retracted position that is at least flush with the surface of the shuttle plate and an extended position that is in contact with an envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack, and    controlling the air pressure within the first suction cup so that the first suction cup has a lower air pressure than the ambient air pressure when the first suction cup is in the extended position and while it moves from the extended position to the retracted position;    moving the second suction cup positioned within said second orifice between a retracted position that is at least flush with the surface of the shuttle plate and an extended position that is in contact with an envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack, and    controlling the air pressure within the second suction cup so that the second suction cup has a lower air pressure than the ambient air pressure when the second suction cup is in the extended position and while it moves from the extended position to the retracted position;    whereby the envelope at the bottom of the envelope stack is pulled down toward the surface of the shuttle plate so as to facilitate the acquisition of said envelope by the envelop gripping mechanism.