US 12,277,793 B2
Mail processing system with a mail hazard screening machine
James Malatesta, Hockessin, DE (US); Kurt Hecht, Rydal, PA (US); and Edward Cohen, Mount Laurel, NJ (US)
Assigned to TRITEK TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Tritek Technologies, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/608,656.
Application 18/608,656 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/170,782, filed on Feb. 17, 2023, granted, now 11,935,318, issued on Mar. 19, 2024.
Application 18/170,782 is a continuation of application No. 17/587,445, filed on Jan. 28, 2022, granted, now 11,584,601, issued on Feb. 21, 2023.
Application 17/587,445 is a continuation of application No. 17/119,104, filed on Dec. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,235,940, issued on Feb. 1, 2022.
Application 17/119,104 is a continuation of application No. 15/765,563, granted, now 10,875,729, issued on Dec. 29, 2020, previously published as PCT/US2017/030144, filed on Apr. 28, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/501,835, filed on May 12, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/328,982, filed on Apr. 28, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0233431 A1, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. G06V 30/424 (2022.01); B07C 1/02 (2006.01); B07C 1/04 (2006.01); B07C 1/10 (2006.01); B65G 15/20 (2006.01); B65H 1/02 (2006.01); B65H 3/04 (2006.01); B65H 3/12 (2006.01); B65H 3/52 (2006.01); B65H 5/02 (2006.01); B65H 5/06 (2006.01); B65H 7/02 (2006.01); B65H 7/04 (2006.01); B65H 7/14 (2006.01); B65H 7/20 (2006.01); G06V 10/20 (2022.01); G06V 10/22 (2022.01); G06V 20/64 (2022.01)
CPC G06V 30/424 (2022.01) [B07C 1/025 (2013.01); B07C 1/04 (2013.01); B07C 1/10 (2013.01); B65G 15/20 (2013.01); B65H 1/025 (2013.01); B65H 3/045 (2013.01); B65H 3/124 (2013.01); B65H 3/5246 (2013.01); B65H 5/023 (2013.01); B65H 5/062 (2013.01); B65H 7/02 (2013.01); B65H 7/04 (2013.01); B65H 7/14 (2013.01); B65H 7/20 (2013.01); G06V 10/22 (2022.01); G06V 10/255 (2022.01); G06V 20/64 (2022.01); B65H 2404/2691 (2013.01); B65H 2511/22 (2013.01); B65H 2513/10 (2013.01); B65H 2553/42 (2013.01); B65H 2701/1916 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mail hazard screening machine comprising:
i) a mail processing system comprising:
a mail singulator that singulates mail into a singulated mail piece said mail singulator comprising:
a singulator belt;
a loading conveyor for moving a plurality of mail pieces in a mail stack to said singulator belt, wherein said singulator belt moves said singulated mail piece from said mail stack on the loading conveyor;
an optical panel that moves from a force of the mail stack on the loading conveyor;
a proximity sensor to detect a position of said optical panel;
a controller;
wherein the controller monitors the position of the optical panel and controls a rate of speed of the loading conveyor to prevent compression of the singulated mail piece before said singulated mail piece is fed into the hazard screening machine;
ii) a pair of compression rollers;
iii) an enclosure configured around the compression rollers;
iv) a sampling plenum extending from said enclosure for drawing enclosure air from the enclosure;
v) a vacuum device coupled with the sampling plenum and configured to maintain a negative pressure in the enclosure by drawing enclosure air from the enclosure;
vi) an analysis device configured to analyze the enclosure air and detect a hazard material;
wherein the compression rollers compress the singulated mail piece to expel said hazard material from said singulated mail piece; and
wherein the vacuum device draws air from the enclosure and delivers enclosure air to the analysis device for detection of said hazard material;
vii) a clean air inlet coupled with the enclosure and configured to direct a flow of clean air into the enclosure.