A Fluidic Mail Singulator

摘要

The feasibility of using fluidics to withdraw a single letter at a time from a horizontal stack of letters standing on edge (singulation) was investigated. Fluidic techniques were employed to accelerate the letter being singulated, sense its position, and control the letter motion so that the next letter in the stack is not moved until the preceding letter has been transported beyond a fixed point. The fluidic system is described, and the design approach and the test program conducted to determine the system performance are discussed. Feasibility was demonstrated, using ordered letters weighing from 0.12 to 1 oz where the maximum singulation rate of the 0.12-oz letters was 7.7 per second. The 1-oz letters were singulated at a maximum rate of 3.1 per second. (Author)