Roger W Rowe

US Patent:

20040089706, May 13, 2004

Filed:

Jan 13, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/332918

Inventors:

Gregory Hill - Lake Zurich IL, US
Robert Bretl - Menominee MI, US
James Bretl - Menominee MI, US
Jeffrey Hill - Mundeleim IL, US
Roger Rowe - Lake Zurich IL, US
William Kinahan - Lake Villa IL, US
Paul Gundlach - St Charles IL, US

International Classification:

G06F017/00

US Classification:

235/375000

Abstract:

A card package production system () for producing card packages () composed of printed paper carriers () with matching cards () attached to the carriers () selectively outputs the card packages through a card package multi directional distribution module () having a carrier transport with a primary carrier transport path extending between a package inlet () and a primary package outlet () for transporting the card packages along the primary carrier transport path. A movable stacker gate assembly () mounted for movement between a stacking position (FIG. ) in which the card packages are guided by the stacker gate assembly () off the primary carrier transport path and into the stacker () and a nonstacking position in which the carriers are allowed to continue past the stacker input and toward the primary carrier outlet () is selectively automatically controlled to direct carriers preselected for mailing to the primary outlet () and carriers preselected for stacking to the stacker assembly (). In addition, a movable reject gate () located along the primary carrier transport path intermediate the stacker gate assembly () and the primary package outlet () mounted for movement between a reject position in which the card packages are guided by the reject gate () off the primary carrier transport path and into an inlet to a reject bin (), and a non reject position in which packages are allowed to continue past the reject bin () and continue out of the primary carrier outlet ().