Apparatus and Method for Printing And/Or Electronically Scanning Dual Face Surfaces of a Sheet/Mailpiece

Abstract

A sheet handling apparatus for conveying sheet material/mailpieces along a feed path which facilitates access to the dual face surfaces thereof for the purpose of printing, and/or scanning information contained, thereon. The sheet handling apparatus includes first and second conveyor modules each having a conveyor surface, a portion of which is disposed in opposing, face-to-face relation with a portion of the other conveyor surface. Furthermore, the conveyor surfaces cooperate with a means for developing a pressure differential across the conveyor surfaces to hold the sheet material on the conveyor surfaces and transfer the sheet material across the modules during transport. A processor controls the pressure differential means such that the sheet material is held against the conveyor surfaces by a negative pressure differential developed across the conveyor surface and transferred from one conveyor surface to the other by controlling the pressure differential of both modules when the sheet material is interposed between the face-to-face interface. The remaining end portions of each conveyor surface are oppositely disposed and openly accessible to perform other sheet material processes. For example, the sheet material may be scanned along or printed on each face surface.

1 . A sheet handling apparatus for conveying sheet material along a feed path, comprising,
 first and second conveyor modules, each module having conveyor surfaces for driving the sheet material along the feed path, the conveyor surfaces being arranged such that an end portion of one conveyor surface opposes the other conveyor surface along a face-to-face interface,   a means for developing a pressure differential across the conveyor surfaces of the first and second conveyor modules to hold the sheet material on the conveyor surfaces and transfer the sheet material across the modules during transport; and   a processor operative to independently control the pressure differential means such that sheet material is held against the conveyor surfaces by a negative pressure differential developed across the conveyor surface, and transferred from one conveyor surface to the other by controlling the pressure differential of both modules when the sheet material is interposed between the face-to-face interface.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the processor is operative to control the pressure differential means such that the pressure differential associated with the first module is neutralized and the pressure differential associated with the second module produces a negative pressure differential to transfer the sheet material from one module to the other module when the sheet material is interposed between the face-to-face interface. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the processor is operative to control the pressure differential means such that the pressure differential associated with the first module produces positive pressure and the pressure differential associated with the second module produces a negative pressure differential to transfer the sheet material from one module to the other module when the sheet material is interposed between the face-to-face interface. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the conveyor surfaces define a substantially linear, coplanar feed path for transporting the sheet material. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the conveyor surface of each module includes a plurality of openings therein, and wherein the pressure differential means includes at least one pneumatic pump, and a plenum defining a chamber disposed in fluid communication with the pneumatic pump, the chamber, furthermore, defining a sidewall structure having a plurality of apertures therein disposed adjacent the conveyor surfaces such that air may pass through the orifices thereof and through the apertures of the plenum to produce a pressure differential across the conveyor surface. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the pressure differential means further includes first and second pneumatic pumps, wherein the plenum includes first and second chambers, the first pneumatic pump being disposed in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second pneumatic pump being disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber, and wherein the second pneumatic pump is independently controlled by the processor to produce a neutral or positive pressure differential a portion of the conveyor surface corresponding to the face-to-face interface to transfer sheet material from one conveyor module to the other conveyor module. 
     
     
         7 . A mailpiece processing apparatus for handling and conveying mailpieces along a feed path, the apparatus performing processing operations on dual face surfaces of the mailpiece, comprising,
 first and second conveyor modules, each module having conveyor surfaces for driving the mailpiece along the feed path, the conveyor surfaces being arranged such that an end portion of one conveyor surface opposes the other conveyor surface along a face-to-face interface and the other end portion of the conveyor surfaces are diametrically opposite and openly accessible;   a means for developing a pressure differential across the conveyor surfaces of the first and second conveyor modules to hold the mailpiece on the conveyor surfaces and transfer the mailpiece across the modules during transport;   a processor operative to independently control the pressure differential means such that mailpieces are held against the conveyor surfaces by a negative pressure differential developed across the conveyor surface, and transferred from one conveyor surface to the other by controlling the pressure differential of both modules when the mailpieces are interposed between the face-to-face interface and,   a mailpiece processing device disposed adjacent each of the accessible end portions of the conveyor surfaces to perform a mailpiece operation on a face surface of the mailpieces.   
     
     
         8 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the processor is operative to control the pressure differential means such that the pressure differential associated with the first module is neutralized and the pressure differential associated with the second module produces a negative pressure differential to transfer the mailpieces from one module to the other module when the mailpieces are interposed between the face-to-face interface. 
     
     
         9 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the processor is operative to control the pressure differential means such that the pressure differential associated with the first module produces positive pressure and the pressure differential associated with the second module produces a negative pressure differential to transfer the mailpiece from one module to the other module when the mailpiece is interposed between the face-to-face interface. 
     
     
         10 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the mailpiece processing device is a printer for printing information on each face surface of the mailpiece. 
     
     
         11 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the mailpiece processing device is a scanner for reading information from each face surface of the mailpiece. 
     
     
         12 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the conveyor surfaces define a substantially linear, coplanar feed path for transporting the mailpieces. 
     
     
         13 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the conveyor surface of each module includes a plurality of openings therein, and wherein the pressure differential means includes at least one pneumatic pump, and a plenum defining a chamber disposed in fluid communication with the pneumatic pump, the chamber, furthermore, defining a sidewall structure having a plurality of apertures therein disposed adjacent the conveyor surfaces such that air may pass through the orifices thereof and through the apertures of the plenum to produce a pressure differential across the conveyor surface. 
     
     
         14 . The mailpiece processing apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the pressure differential means further includes first and second pneumatic pumps and wherein the plenum includes a first and a second chambers, the first pneumatic pump in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second pneumatic pump in fluid communication with the second chamber, and wherein the second pneumatic pump is independently controlled by the processor to produce a neutral or positive pressure differential across the face-to-face interface to transfer mailpieces from one conveyor module to the other conveyor module. 
     
     
         15 . A sheet handling apparatus for conveying sheet material along a feed path, comprising,
 first and second conveyor modules having first and second conveyor surfaces, respectively, for driving the sheet material along the feed path, the conveyor modules being arranged such that at least a portion of the first conveyor surface opposes at least a portion of the second conveyor surface along a face-to-face interface;   a means for developing a pressure differential across the first and second conveyor surfaces to hold the sheet material on one of the conveyor surfaces and transfer the sheet material from the first to the second conveyor surfaces during transport; and   a processor operative to independently control the pressure differential means such that sheet material may be transferred from one conveyor module to the other conveyor module by controlling the pressure differential developed across each of the first and second conveyor surfaces when the sheet material is interposed between the face-to-face interface.   
     
     
         16 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the pressure differential across the first conveyor surface is neutralized while a negative pressure differential is developed across the second conveyor surface to transfer the sheet material from the first to the second conveyor module. 
     
     
         17 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein a negative pressure differential is developed across at least one of the conveyor surfaces to convey the sheet material along the feed path.. 
     
     
         18 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein the pressure differential across the first conveyor surface is neutralized while a negative pressure differential is developed across the second conveyor surface to transfer the sheet material from the first to the second conveyor module along the face-to-face interface. 
     
     
         19 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the first and second conveyor surfaces define a substantially linear, coplanar feed path for transporting the sheet material. 
     
     
         20 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the first and second conveyor surfaces each include a plurality of openings therein, and wherein the pressure differential means associated with each of the first and second conveyor modules includes at least one pneumatic pump and a plenum defining a chamber disposed in fluid communication with the pneumatic pump, the chamber, furthermore, defining a sidewall structure having a plurality of apertures therein disposed adjacent the respective conveyor surface such that air may pass through the orifices thereof and through the apertures of the plenum to produce a pressure differential across the conveyor surface. 
     
     
         21 . The sheet handling apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the pressure differential means associated with each of the first and second conveyor modules further includes first and second pneumatic pumps, the first pneumatic pump being disposed in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second pneumatic pump being disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber, and wherein the second pneumatic pump is independently controlled by the processor to produce a neutral or positive pressure differential a portion of the conveyor surface corresponding to the face-to-face interface to transfer sheet material from one conveyor module to the other conveyor module.