Vibrating tray for diverted card inserts

摘要

An automated apparatus and method for collecting and dispensing rejected cards in a tray in a card attaching system. Sheets are transported on a moving belt. Cards are fed from a feeder above the moving belt. Cards are deposited onto the sheets. When a card rejection condition is detected, a rejected card is diverted and deposited in a tray having a sloped chute. The sloped chute extends down to a lower position beyond an outside edge of the moving belt. To facilitate movement down the chute, the tray is vibrated. This vibration is accomplished by supporting the tray on a roller assembly that rolls on a surface of the moving belt as it passes under the sloped chute. The roller is non-circular or of an eccentric configuration, such that the axis of the roller will experience a vertical displacement as the roller rotates, jogging the tray.

主权项

1. A tray for collecting and dispensing diverted cards in a card attaching system, wherein the card attaching system includes a card feeder positioned above a moving belt for depositing cards onto sheets of paper transported on the moving belt, and wherein the card feeder includes a divert mechanism for diverting rejected cards onto an alternate card path so that the rejected cards are not deposited, and are collected in the tray, the tray comprising:
a sloped chute positioned to receive diverted cards from the card feeder at an elevated position over the moving belt and extending down to a lower position beyond an outside edge of the moving belt; a chute support extending from the chute to a surface of the moving belt; the chute support resting on a roller that is positioned to roll on a surface of the moving belt as it passes under the sloped chute; and wherein the roller has a configuration selected from one or more of a non-circular or an eccentric configuration, such that the roller will experience a vertical displacement as the roller rotates, imparting a vertical jogging motion on the chute support and the sloped chute.