Postage meter with improved printing slot
View Patent ↗A postage meter includes a slot to receive insertion of an envelope. A registration plate defines a top side of the slot. The registration plate has a window formed therein. The registration plate is for defining a printing location for a top surface of the envelope. A print head is mounted above the registration plate for printing a postage indicium on the top surface of the envelope. The postage meter includes a spring-loaded platform for pressing the envelope against the registration plate. The platform has a recess therein facing the window in the registration plate. The recess has a depth of at least about 5 mm. A cantilever spring is positioned between the window and the recess to apply an upward force to the envelope.
1. A postage meter comprising:
a slot to receive insertion of an envelope;
a registration plate defining a top side of the slot, the registration plate having a window formed therein, the registration plate for defining a printing location for a top surface of the envelope;
a print head mounted above the registration plate for printing a postage indicium on the top surface of the envelope; and
a spring-loaded platform having a top platform surface for pressing the envelope against the registration plate with a first force applied by the top platform surface, the spring-loaded platform top surface having a recess therein facing and substantially opposing at least a first portion of said window,
said recess having a depth of at least about 5 mm and said recess including a biasing mechanism for pressing the envelope toward the window with a second force applied by the biasing mechanism, wherein
the first force is greater than the second force.
2. The postage meter according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the biasing mechanism comprises a cantilever spring positioned between said window and said recess for applying an upward force to the envelope.
3. The postage meter according to claim 2 , wherein a lower edge of the cantilever spring is secured to a floor of said recess.
4. The postage meter according to claim 3 , wherein the cantilever spring is a metal sheet.
5. The postage meter according to claim 4 , wherein the cantilever spring is formed of stainless steel.
6. The postage meter according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a switch adjacent the slot for being contacted by the envelope to actuate the print head; and
a ramp at an end of the recess to guide the envelope to the switch.
7. The postage meter according to claim 2 , wherein the cantilever spring has a length extent that is substantially equal to a length extent of said spring- loaded platform.
8. The postage meter according to claim 1 , wherein the print head is an ink jet print head.
9. A postage meter comprising:
a slot to receive insertion of an envelope;
a registration plate defining a top side of the slot, the registration plate having a window formed therein, the registration plate for defining a printing location for a top surface of the envelope;
a print head mounted above the registration plate for printing a postage indicium on the top surface of the envelope;
a spring-loaded platform for contacting a bottom surface of the envelope and for pressing the envelope against the registration plate, wherein the spring-loaded platform does not contact at least a portion of the bottom surface of the envelope facing the window; and
a cantilever spring at least partially in said slot for applying an upward force to at least a portion of the bottom surface of said envelope.
10. The postage meter according to claim 9 , wherein a lower edge of the cantilever spring is secured to the spring loaded platform.
11. The postage meter according to claim 10 , wherein the lower edge of the cantilever spring is secured to the spring-loaded platform at a floor of a recess formed in the spring-loaded platform.
12. The postage meter according to claim 11 , wherein the recess is at least around 5 mm deep.
13. The postage meter according to claim 11 , wherein the cantilever spring is a metal sheet.
14. The postage meter according to claim 13 , wherein the cantilever spring is formed of stainless steel.
15. The postage meter according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a switch adjacent the slot for being contacted by the envelope to actuate the print head; and
a ramp at an end of the recess to guide the envelope to the switch.
16. The postage meter according to claim 9 , wherein the cantilever spring has a length extent that is substantially equal to a length extent of said spring-loaded platform.
17. The postage meter according to claim 9 , wherein said print head is an ink jet print head.
18. The postage meter according to claim 9 , wherein the upward force applied to the envelope by the cantilever spring is less per area than applied by the spring-loaded platform.
19. The postage meter according to claim 11 , wherein the recess is facing and substantially opposing at least a first portion of said window.
20. The postage meter according to claim 11 , wherein the recess is facing and substantially opposing at least a first sub-portion of said window toward a trialing edge of said envelope.