Accumulation system for processing media items of various sizes and types

(19)

(11)

EP 1 785 376 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	17.12.2008 Bulletin 2008/51

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	16.05.2007 Bulletin 2007/20

(21)	Application number: 06023628.8

(22)	Date of filing: 14.11.2006

(51)

International Patent Classification (IPC):

B65H 5/02^(2006.01)

B65H 31/28^(2006.01)

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL BA HR MK RS

(30)

Priority:

15.11.2005 US 274794

(71)	Applicant: Pitney Bowes, Inc.
	Stamford, CT 06926-0700 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Lyga, Thomas M. Southbury Connecticut 06488 (US) Xiao, Ming Woodbridge Connecticut 06525 (US) Gelb, Joseph Milford Connecticut 06460 (US) Chen, Michael M. Trumbull Connecticut 06611 (US) Fairweather, James A. Milford Connecticut 06460 (US) Salomon, James A. Cheshire Connecticut 06410 (US)

(74)	Representative: HOFFMANN EITLE
	Patent- und Rechtsanwälte Arabellastrasse 4 81925 München 81925 München (DE)

(54)	Accumulation system for processing media items of various sizes and types

(57) An accumulator system and method for collating a plurality of media items wherein the media items enter in seriatim at an media item entry point and become at least partially overlapped with each other at a media item exit point. A media item transport path connects the media item entry point and the media item exit point. A moveable member (20) is mounted along the media item transport path between the entry point and the exit point. The moveable member (20) forms part of a pocket (50) into which media items are moved to create a collation of media items. The moveable member (20) is moveable to change the size of the pocket (50). A protective member (22) may be mounted to the moveable member (20) and positioned to protect the trailing edge of media items in the pocket (50) from the leading edge of media items to thereafter be moved into the pocket. The media item may be aligned in the collation position when moving the protective member to a media item trailing edge protective position. The transport means (38) for media items can be controlled to partially move a media item along an exit path beyond the collation position. Media items of different lengths can be formed as part of the collation at the collation position with the trailing edge of the media items aligned.

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