Mail-piece insertion system heavies rotary feeder double detect system and method

1. A double detection apparatus for a mail-piece inserter, comprising:

a detectable flag affixed to a rotating mail-piece gripper of a mail-piece rotary feeder;

a stationary proximity sensor to generate a voltage output based on a presence of the detectable flag in a direction along a first axis normal to the rotation of the mail-piece gripper; and

a decision unit to generate a double detect alert signal when a phase shift above a pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein mail-piece gripper is associated with a drum angle that rotates 360 degrees to process each mail-piece, and the stationary proximity sensor is located such that movement of the detectable flag generates a repeating voltage output waveform as the drum angle changes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the repeating voltage output waveform results from the detectable flag eclipsing a field of view of the stationary proximity sensor along the first axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the voltage output waveform comprises a parabolic waveform.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined threshold value is initialized during a calibration procedure processing at least one single mail-piece.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the initialized pre-determined threshold value is adjusted based on a waveform associated with the processing of at least one prior single mail-piece.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the pre-determined threshold value is adjusted based on an average of waveforms associated with the processing of multiple prior single mail-pieces.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the decision unit is further to generate a thin detect alert signal when a phase shift past another pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.

9. A method for a mail-piece inserter, comprising:

receiving, at a double detection apparatus, a voltage output generated by a stationary proximity sensor based on a presence of a detectable flag in a direction along a first axis normal to the rotation of a mail-piece gripper of a mail-piece rotary feeder, wherein the detectable flag is affixed to the rotating mail-piece gripper; and

generating, by a decision unit of the double detection apparatus, a double detect alert signal when a phase shift above a pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein mail-piece gripper is associated with a drum angle that rotates 360 degrees to process each mail-piece, and the stationary proximity sensor is located such that movement of the detectable flag generates a repeating voltage output waveform as the drum angle changes.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the repeating voltage output waveform results from the detectable flag eclipsing a field of view of the stationary proximity sensor along the first axis and the voltage output waveform comprises a parabolic waveform.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pre-determined threshold value is initialized during a calibration procedure processing at least one single mail-piece.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the initialized pre-determined threshold value is adjusted based on a waveform associated with the processing of at least one prior single mail-piece.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pre-determined threshold value is adjusted based on an average of waveforms associated with the processing of multiple prior single mail-pieces.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the decision unit is further to generate a thin detect alert signal when a phase shift past another pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.

16. A mail-piece inserter, comprising:

a feed tower holding mail-pieces;

an envelope feeder holding envelopes;

an insertion station to place mail-pieces into envelopes using a rotating mail-piece gripper; and

a double detection apparatus, including:

a detectable flag affixed to the rotating mail-piece gripper,

a stationary proximity sensor to generate a voltage output based on a presence of the detectable flag in a direction along a first axis normal to the rotation of the mail-piece gripper, and

a decision unit to generate a double detect alert signal when a phase shift above a pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.

17. The mail-piece inserter of claim 16 , wherein mail-piece gripper is associated with a drum angle that rotates 360 degrees to process each mail-piece, and the stationary proximity sensor is located such that movement of the detectable flag generates a repeating voltage output waveform as the drum angle changes.

18. The mail-piece inserter of claim 17 , wherein the repeating voltage output waveform results from the detectable flag eclipsing a field of view of the stationary proximity sensor along the first axis and the voltage output waveform comprises a parabolic waveform.

19. The mail-piece inserter of claim 16 , wherein the pre-determined threshold value is initialized during a calibration procedure processing at least one single mail-piece and the initialized pre-determined threshold value is adjusted based on a waveform associated with the processing of at least one prior single mail-piece.

20. The mail-piece inserter of claim 16 , wherein the decision unit is further to generate a thin detect alert signal when a phase shift past another pre-determined threshold value is detected in the voltage output generated by the stationary proximity sensor.