WO1999044174A1

WO1999044174A1 - Franking and addressing device

Info

Publication number: WO1999044174A1
Application number: PCT/FR1999/000414
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hervé Baumann; Gilles Chollet; Gérard Coudray; Yves Coue; Jean-Michel Rieu
Original assignee: Secap; Ascom Autelca Ag
Priority date: 1998-02-25
Filing date: 1999-02-24
Publication date: 1999-09-02
Also published as: EP0978105B1; FR2775376B1; EP0978105A1; DE69925207T2; FR2775376A1; CA2287498A1; DE69925207D1

Abstract

The invention concerns a franking and addressing device especially designed for printing a franking mark at a predetermined location (3) on the surface of a postal object (2). It comprises printing means (21, 30) adapted to form a franking mark on said location while the object is moved opposite said printing means. Moreover, the printing means are adapted to form on said postal object surface, a destination address (11) of said postal object while the object is being moved opposite said printing means.

Description

POSTAGE AND ADDRESSING DEVICE.

This invention relates to printing the postage and destination address of a postal item, by the same device.

Traditionally, the destination address of a letter or postal parcel is handwritten or printed on this object or on a label intended to be affixed to this object. Then, this object receives postage from a postage meter or manually.

These procedures therefore require at least two successive manipulations to form the franking mark, on the one hand, and the destination address, on the other hand. In particular, it is manually that the user of a postage meter must provide an indication of the destination of the item so that the postage meter can take into account the amount of postage to be printed.

The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by presenting a device which comprises printing means suitable for forming on the one hand, the franking mark and, on the other hand, the destination address of the object.

In the following description:

- the postal item may be a fold, mail, parcel or label intended to be affixed to an item intended to be sent via postal services, and - The address may be formed by a mark representative of a destination, such as, for example, a bar code.

In general, the invention relates to a device for printing a franking mark at a predetermined location on a face of a postal item, comprising printing means adapted to form said franking mark at said location during that the postal object is moved opposite said printing means, characterized in that said printing means are further adapted to form on said face of the postal object, a destination address of said postal object, during that the postal object is moved opposite said printing means.

The scope of the invention therefore extends to any device which comprises printing means which form, during movements of the postal object, on one of its faces, on the one hand, the franking and , on the other hand, the destination address. Thanks to these provisions, the same device performs all of the prints necessary for the delivery of the postal item and the invention saves processing time, compared with the devices of the prior art.

According to particular characteristics, said printing means comprise, on the one hand, first printing means adapted to form the franking mark and, on the other hand, second printing means adapted to form the address destination.

Thanks to these provisions, each of the printing means can be fixed, opposite the predetermined location at which it performs printing.

In particular, the first and second printing means are adapted to form, during the same movement of the postal object, respectively the franking mark and the destination address.

Thus, all of the prints to be made on a postal object can be made during a single movement of this postal object, which saves additional time for the processing of each object. postal and, consequently, an increase in the rate of processing of postal objects.

According to particular characteristics, the first and second printing means are incorporated in the same printing head.

Thanks to these provisions, the manufacture of the device is simplified and the possible replacement of the print head does not require any alignment procedure, unlike the case where several print heads are used. According to other particular characteristics, the device according to the invention comprises printing means adapted to successively form, on the one hand, the franking mark and, on the other hand, the destination address, during two successive displacements of said postal object. Thanks to these provisions, the size, and therefore the complexity, of the printing means is limited since each movement is associated with only one printing operation.

According to particular characteristics, the directions of printing of the franking mark, on the one hand, and of the destination address, on the other hand, are opposite, the postal object being returned between its two opposite movements printing means.

Thus, the directions of reading on the postal object of the franking mark, on the one hand, and of the destination address, on the other hand, are identical and the position of the franking mark is referenced by relative to an edge of the postal object while the position of the destination address is referenced relative to the opposite edge of the postal object.

According to particular characteristics, the printing directions of the franking mark, on the one hand, and of the destination address, on the other hand, are identical, the postal object retaining its orientation between its two movements in look at the print media. Thus, the directions of reading on the postal object of the franking mark, on the one hand, and of the destination address, on the other hand, are identical and the positions of the franking mark and of the 'destination address are referenced relative to the same edge of the postal item. According to particular characteristics, the device according to the invention comprises two support positions, the postal item coming successively to bear in one of these positions, during each of its two movements.

Thus, the positions of the franking mark and the destination address successively correspond to the two support positions and are each referenced with respect to an edge of the postal object.

According to particular characteristics, the printing means comprise at least one ink jet or thermal transfer printing head. Thanks to these provisions, printing is silent, economical and of good definition.

According to particular characteristics, the printing means are fixed during each printing and said device comprises means for setting the postal object in motion opposite the printing means.

Thus, the complexity of the printing means is reduced, compared with those of an office printer, for example, since they do not incorporate any means for moving the printing means acting during a printing phase. In addition, the speed of the relative movement of the postal object and of the printing means is controlled by the means for setting in motion the postal object, which ensures the enslavement of this speed.

According to particular characteristics, the printing means comprise a movable part facing a passage of a postal object, said movable part being set in motion between two successive passages of the same postal object. Thanks to these provisions, successive prints can be made on the postal item, to make the same mark and / or to successively print the postage mark and the destination address. According to particular characteristics, the device according to the invention comprises motor means adapted to move said postal object in two opposite directions, the printing of the franking mark being carried out during a first movement and the printing of the the destination address being carried out during a second movement carried out with a direction of movement opposite to the direction of the first movement.

Thus, in two successive passages of the postal object, the franking mark and the destination address are printed without it being necessary to carry out an intermediate manipulation.

According to particular characteristics, the device according to the invention comprises a calculator adapted to take account of the destination address to calculate the amount of postage represented by the postage mark and to control the operation of the printing means.

Thanks to these provisions, the amount of postage, which depends on the geographic area of destination, can be determined without the intervention of an operator.

According to a second aspect, the invention also relates to a device which comprises two identical printing devices, arranged so that a postal object which leaves the first printing device, by being driven by this first printing device, between, during the same movement, in the second printing device and is driven there by the second printing device, one of said printing devices comprising the first printing means adapted to form the franking mark and the another of said printing devices comprising the second printing means adapted to form the destination address. The description of the invention will now be continued with the description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. On these:

- Figure 1 is a top view showing very schematically a franking machine according to the invention and a letter on the upper face of which we are about to print a franking mark by the machine;

- Figure 2 is a very schematic elevational view showing the letter being introduced into the machine; - Figure 3 is another schematic elevational view of the machine, showing more particularly the printing means with which it is provided;

- Figure 4 is a very schematic plan view showing more particularly the printing means and the displacement means; - Figure 5A is a very schematic plan view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 5B is a very schematic plan view of a variant of the first embodiment of the present invention;

- Figures 6 and 7 are very schematic plan views of a second embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 8 is a very schematic plan view of a third embodiment of the present invention;

- Figures 9 and 10 are very schematic plan views of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; - Figures 11 and 12 are very schematic plan views of a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 13 is a very schematic plan view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 14 shows an electronic control circuit of the device object of the present invention; - Figure 15 shows a flow diagram implemented in the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 5A;

- Figure 16 shows a flow diagram implemented in the variant of the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 5B; - Figure 17 shows a flow chart implemented in the second and third embodiments illustrated in Figures 6 to 8;

- Figure 18 shows a flow diagram implemented in the fourth embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 and 10;

- Figure 19 shows a flow chart implemented in the fifth embodiment illustrated in Figures 11 and 12; and

FIG. 20 represents a flow diagram implemented in the sixth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13.

In the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 20, it has been chosen, by way of example, that the franking mark be printed first and the destination address second. For the sake of brevity, the other choice (the address being printed before the franking mark) has not been shown but of course remains within the scope of the invention by simple permutation of the successive printing operations.

The franking machine 1 illustrated in the drawings includes a device for printing, on a flat object such as the letter 2, on the one hand, a franking mark at the standardized location 3 on one side 4 of the envelope of the letter 2 and, on the other hand, a destination address at the standardized location 11 on the same side of the envelope.

To print the franking mark on location 3, the letter 2 must be passed through a corridor 5 (figure 2) that comprises the machine 1, this corridor being delimited by elements integral with the frame, respectively a sliding support 6 which forms the ceiling of the corridor 5, a table 7 which forms the floor and a ramp 8 (FIG. 1) which forms a lateral limit thereof, the corridor being open opposite to the ramp 8. To pass the letter 2 in corridor 5, the letter is placed on the part of the table 7 which projects from the side provided for the introduction (side 8

seen on the left in the drawings, as illustrated in Figure 2) then the letter is returned to lane 5, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, until it is driven by the means provided for this purpose in the machine 1, the printing of the franking mark being effected automatically while the letter 2 is driven in the corridor 5, the franked letter being expelled from the machine at the other end of the lane 5 (end seen on the right in the drawings).

To drive the letter 2, the machine 1 comprises two rollers 9 and 10 each passing through an opening of the table 7, and two counter-rollers 12 and 13, respectively for the roller 9 and for the roller 10, passing through through an opening in the support 6.

The rollers 9 and 10 are mounted for rotation relative to the frame of the machine 1, by means of suspension means 14 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. The counter-rollers 12 and 13 are mounted for rotation on the frame of the machine 1, without being suspended from it. An electric motor, not shown, serves to drive the counter-rollers 12 and 13 in synchronous rotation, for example by means of a belt (not shown) which rotates around three pinions carried respectively by the motor, by the counter-roller. 12 and by the counter-roller 13.

Since the suspension means 14 urge the rollers 9 and 10 towards the support 6, and therefore towards the counter-rollers 12 and 13, the rollers 9 and 10 are driven by friction on the counter-rollers 12 and 13, directly or through an object, such as the letter 2, being passed through the machine 1.

The letter 2, when it is introduced into the corridor 5 as shown in FIG. 2, ends up meeting the roller 9 then the counter-roller 12 which drives it in the direction indicated in FIG. 2 by the horizontal arrow oriented from left and right. Simultaneously, the roller 9 is lowered while the letter 2 is introduced between the rollers 9 and 12 so that the letter 2 progresses in the machine 1 with its printing side 4 which is pressed and which slides against the surface 17 of the sliding support 6.

To print the franking mark at location 3 and / or the destination address at location 11, the machine 1 includes printing means 19 shown very diagrammatically in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Generally, the printing means 19 deposit the franking mark on location 3 while the letter 2 or the object to be franked circulates in the machine 1 with its printing face which is pressed against the surface 17 of the sliding support 6, the means 19 being located between the counter-rollers 12 and 13.

In the example illustrated, the means 19 are mounted directly on the frame of the machine, and are therefore fixed (with the exception of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12) relative to the sliding support 6.

Here, the printing means comprise an ink jet cartridge 20 provided with a printing head 21 passing through an opening of a plate 22 which comprises the sliding support 6, the plate

22 having a recess 23 from which the head 21 can send ink onto the object, without coming into contact with it.

So that the printing means 19 are controlled in synchronism with the advancement of the object in the machine, there is provided an object presence detector (not shown) which triggers a printing process taking place automatically.

More specifically, there is a first presence detector which controls the starting of the engine (not shown) when an object begins to be introduced into the machine 1, and a second presence detector (not shown) which triggers the process of impression when the object has reached a predetermined location.

In FIG. 5A, in a very schematic plan view, a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention comprises, in addition to the print head 21, a print head 30 placed opposite the path of passage of the location 11 of the destination address for a letter 10

standardized, such as a letter known as "C5 / C6" or "commercial format", that is to say about 220 mm. x 110 mm.

The print head 30 is controlled in the same way as the print head 21, and deposits in the location 11 a destination address coming from a random access memory of an electronic circuit.

In FIG. 5B, in a very schematic plan view, a variant of the first embodiment in accordance with the present invention comprises a single printing head 31 placed simultaneously opposite the passage path of location 3 and the passage path from location 11.

The print head 31 is controlled in the same way as the print head 21, and deposits, on the one hand, in location 3, a franking mark and, on the other hand, in location 11, a destination address. In the second embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, in the form of very schematic plan views, the device comprises a single print head 45, but has two support positions 40 and 41 for the postal item.

The same postal object (the letter 2) comes to rest successively in one of these support positions during each of two successive movements so that:

- during the first movement, the franking mark is printed at location 3 (FIG. 6), and that,

- during the second trip, the destination address is printed at location 11 (Figure 7).

In this second embodiment, the distance between the two support positions corresponds to the distance between the locations 3 and 11, by reference to the same edge of a letter of predetermined format.

In FIG. 6, a removable wedge 42 is illustrated and this wedge is removed in FIG. 7. 11

Compared to the first embodiment, the second embodiment is:

- slower, since it requires two successive passages of the postal object in front of the same print head, but - simpler since only one print head is used.

In the third embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, in the form of a very schematic plan view, after printing of the franking mark at location 3 on the letter 2 in a first support position, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , during a second movement of the letter opposite the print head 45 in the second support position, the address is printed at location 11. During this second movement, the letter is returned from top to bottom, in such a way that the franking mark remains visible but passes below location 11, outside lane 5. Of course, the direction of printing of the destination address is opposite to that of the postage mark, so that the reading direction of the address and that of the postage mark are identical.

Compared to the second embodiment, the third embodiment is more complex since between the two passages of the letter 2 in front of the print head, the letter 2 must be turned over by half a turn relative to an axis of rotation perpendicular to its plane. However, the third embodiment allows a good positioning of each of the printed marks, since according to international standards, location 3 is referenced relative to the upper edge of the letter 2, while location 11 is referenced relative to at the bottom edge of the letter 2.

It is noted here that, to correctly reference the position of the address relative to the right edge of the letter (when it is right), several methods can be used in accordance with the present invention: 12

- during the first passage in front of the print head, the letter 2 can be measured, depending on the duration of detection of the letter by one of the presence detectors not shown. The reference of the position of the address relative to the left edge can then be determined, since the sum of the two distances to the edges and the length of the location 11 is equal to the length of the letter considered. Then, during the second pass, in the same direction of movement as in the first pass, the letter having been turned over, we refer to the left edge (from the letter to the place, i.e. on the right edge of the returned letter); - the second pass is carried out in the opposite direction to the first pass, that is to say here from right to left, so that the leading edge which is detected by each detector is the right edge of the letter ( when it is at the place); or

- the size of each letter is provided by using a keyboard (Figure 14).

In the case where the letter 2 passes successively in front of the print head with two opposite directions of movement, a wedge of suitable shape (in tetrahedron) allows the letter to be positioned in a first support position, in the first direction of movement and in a second support position in the second direction of movement. In the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the form of very schematic plan views, the device comprises a single printing head 55, but this is movable and can be moved perpendicular to the direction of movement of the letter 2, by motor means not shown, for example a stepping motor associated with a worm, according to well-known motorization techniques in translation.

The displacement of the print head 55 is then carried out from a position facing the passage from location 3 to a position facing location 11. Thus, between two successive passages of the letter 2 in front of the head print 55, passes in the same direction, the print head 13

55 is set in motion from a position facing the passage of location 3, where the franking mark is printed during the first passage of the letter 2, to a position facing location 11, where the destination address is printed during the second pass of the letter 2.

The fourth embodiment has the advantages of not having to return the letter to print the address and of not requiring two printheads.

As in the fourth embodiment, in the fifth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, in the form of very schematic plan views, the device comprises a single printhead 55, but this is movable and can be moved, perpendicular to the direction of movement of the letter 2, from a position facing the passage from location 3 to a position facing location 11. In contrast, in the fifth embodiment, the engine drive (not shown) that moves the letter 2 is also suitable:

first, to move the letter 2 in front of the print head 55 in a first direction of movement (here from left to right, FIG. 11),

- Then, without the letter 2 being released by the roller 10 and the counter-roller 13, to move the letter 2 in front of the print head 55 in a second direction of movement (from right to left, FIG. 12).

At the same time, between these two movements, the movable print head 55 is moved from the position facing the passage from location 3, to a position facing the passage from location 11.

After the second movement of the letter 2, according to three variants of operation of the fifth embodiment of the device of the invention:

- either the letter 2 is dropped by the rollers 9 and 12 after the second movement, 14

- either the letter 2 makes a third movement, from left to right, without any printing being made and the letter 2 is released by the rollers 10 and 13 at the end of the third movement,

- either the letter 2 makes a third movement, from left to right, and the end of the printing of the destination address is carried out at location 11, then the letter 2 is released by the rollers 10 and 13 at the end of the third trip.

This fifth embodiment of the invention has the advantage that a single manual (or automatic) intervention is necessary to initially position the letter 2 at the input of the machine 1.

In the sixth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, in the form of a very schematic plan view:

- The printing of the franking mark at location 3 on the letter 2 is carried out by a first device in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention (Figure 6); then

- The destination address is printed at location 11 of the letter 2 by a second device in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention.

Thus, the device illustrated in FIG. 13 comprises two identical printing devices 1, arranged so that a postal object 2 which leaves the first printing device, being driven by this first printing device, enters, during the same movement, in the second printing device and is driven there by the second printing device.

One of said printing devices (in FIG. 13, the first, in the direction of movement of the postal object) comprises the first printing means adapted to form the franking mark.

The second of said printing devices (in FIG. 13, the second, in the direction of movement of the postal object) comprises the second printing means adapted to form the destination address. According to a variant not shown, the corridor 5 comprises, laterally, two support positions, one adapted so that, for the letters 15

the most commonly used, location 3 passes in front of a fixed print head and the other adapted so that, for the same letter format, location 11 passes in front of a fixed print head, possibly the same fixed print. In FIG. 14, an electronic circuit for controlling the device is shown, as presented in FIGS. 1 to 13. This circuit is illustrated in the form of a block diagram and represented under general reference 100. It comprises, interconnected by an address bus and data 102:

- a central processing unit 106; - a random access memory RAM 104;

- ROM 105;

- an input port 103 used to receive:

. the weight of the postal item to be franked,. the address to be printed, and. detection of the postal object by each of the detectors

(not shown in Figures 1 to 13)

an output port 107 allowing the coding and transmission device to transmit:

. motor control signals (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 13), and

. print head control signals; and, independently of bus 102:

- 109 stepper motors;

- presence detectors 110; - a display screen 108 connected to the output port 107;

- a scale 112 connected to the input port 103 and providing bytes representative of the weight of a postal item;

a keyboard 101 connected to the input port 103 and providing bytes representative of the keyboard keys successively used; and each of the elements illustrated in FIG. 14 is well known to those skilled in the art of microprocessor circuits and, more generally, of 16

information processing systems. These elements are therefore not described here.

The random access memory 104 stores data, variables and intermediate processing results in memory registers bearing, in the following description, the same names as the data whose values they store. The random access memory 104 comprises in particular:

- a "weight" register in which information representative of the weight of the postal item to be franked is kept,

- a "format" register in which the format of the postal item being processed is kept,

- a "nb_objets" register in which the number of postal objects in the batch being processed is kept;

- an "address" register in which each address to be printed is kept; - registers (not shown) keeping up and down counter values which correspond to franking amounts already deposited and remaining to be deposited before reloading the machine. These registers operate according to techniques known in the field of franking machines (during each franking, when the amount of the descending counter is greater than the amount of the franking mark to be deposited, it is decremented by the amount of this mark and the ascending counter is incremented by the same amount);

The read-only memory 105 is suitable for keeping the operating program of the central processing unit 106, in a register "programl", and the data necessary for the operation of this program as well as the correspondence table "table" relating addresses and weights to postage amounts.

In fact, the so-called “dead” memory 105 is a rewritable memory which does not erase when the device is switched off. It can only be rewritten using secure procedures and only by certain people 17

enabled, so that, for the everyday user, it appears as a ROM.

The central processing unit 106 is adapted to implement one, as desired, of the flowcharts described in FIGS. 15 to 20. FIG. 15 represents a flowchart implemented in the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5A.

During an initialization operation 150, the register nb_objet is reset to the value "0".

During an operation 151, the central unit 106 receives, via the keyboard 101 and the input port 103, a number of items to be franked and records this number in the register nbjobjet.

During a test 152, the central unit determines whether the value kept in the register nb_objet es. equal to "0" or not. When the result of test 152 is positive, operation 151 is repeated. When the result of the test 152 is negative, the operation 153 consists in waiting for an address, via the input port 103, according to a communication protocol known in the field of computers and microprocessor systems, and in recording this address in the address register.

During operation 154, the central unit receives, from the scale 112, via the input port 103, information on the weight of the postal item to be franked.

During operation 155, the central unit 106 determines the amount of postage to be affixed to the next postal item, depending on its weight and its destination. For this purpose, the central unit 106 uses the weight information and compares it with predetermined values constituting thresholds and, on the other hand, the address, which contains the name of the country of destination of the postal item, and, finally, the table correspondence table kept in the read-only memory 105.

During operation 156, the central unit 106 controls the setting in motion of the engine or engines moving the postal object, 18

and waits for a signal from a presence detector, a signal which indicates the presence of a letter.

During operation 157A, the central unit 106 counts a predetermined number of steps of the motor 109, a number of steps which corresponds to the standardized distance between the right edge of the letter and the right edge of the location of the postage 3.

During operation 158A, the central unit 106 simultaneously controls the stepping motor 109 and the print head 21, in order to affix the franking mark with the amount determined during the operation 155, in location 3 and performs operations in parallel

157B and 158B.

During operation 157B, the central processing unit 106 counts a predetermined number of steps of the motor 109, a number of steps which corresponds to the standardized distance between the right edge of the location 3 and the right edge of the location of address 11.

During operation 158A, the central unit 106 simultaneously controls the stepping motor 109 and the print head 30, in order to affix the address kept in the address register, in the location

11. During operation 159, the value of the nb_objet register is decremented by one. Then, the test 152 is repeated as well as the operations which follow it, as explained above. FIG. 16 represents a flow diagram implemented in the variant of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5B. The operations and tests 160 to 166 and 169 are respectively identical to the operations 150 to 156 and 159 illustrated in FIG. 15.

Following operation 166, during operation 167, the central unit 106 counts a predetermined number of steps of the motor 109, a number of steps which corresponds to the standardized distance between the right edge of the letter and the right edge of postage location 3. 19

During operation 168, the central unit 106 simultaneously controls the stepping motor 109 and the print head 31 (FIG. 5B), in order to affix, on the one hand, the franking mark with the amount determined during operation 165, in location 3 and, on the other hand, the address kept in the address register, in location 11.

FIG. 17 represents a flow diagram implemented in the second and third embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8.

The operations and tests 170 to 178A and 179B are respectively identical to the operations and tests 150 to 158A and 159 illustrated in FIG. 15, the operations 176A to 178A being carried out however when the letter 2 is in the support position 41.

Following operation 178A, which ends at the exit of the letter to the right of the device (FIG. 6), operation 179A consists in moving the removable wedge 42 so that the support of the letter leaves the position 41 and come to position 40.

Then, the letter is introduced, again, from the left of the device, in the support position 40 and, during an operation 176B, the central unit 106 receives a signal for detecting the letter, coming from the detector 110. Then, during operation 177B, the central unit 106 counts a predetermined number of steps of the motor 109, a number of steps which corresponds to the standardized distance between the right edge of the letter and the right edge of the address location 11.

During operation 178B, the central unit 106 simultaneously controls the stepping motor 109 and the print head 30, in order to affix the address kept in the address register, in location 11.

Following operation 179B, which ends with the exit of the letter to the right of the device (FIG. 6), operation 179C consists in moving the removable wedge 42, in such a way that the support of the letter passes from position 40 to position 41. Next, test 172 is repeated as well as the operations which follow it. 20

In the embodiments and variants which relate to FIG. 8, as indicated above, various methods described above can be used so that the location 11 is correctly referenced relative to the right edge of the letter (when the latter is at the place). Their programming poses no particular problem to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 18 represents a flow diagram implemented in the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

The operations and tests 180 to 189C are respectively identical to the operations and tests 170 to 179C, except that the displacement of the removable shim is replaced, during operations 189A and 189C by a displacement of the print head 55 .

FIG. 19 represents a flow diagram implemented in the fifth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The operations and tests 190 to 199C are respectively identical to the operations and tests 170 to 179C, except that:

- the displacement of the removable wedge is replaced, during operation 199A by:

. a displacement of the print head 55, and. a change of direction of movement of the direction of movement of the letter, after printing has been carried out, but before the letter has come out.

- the displacement of the removable wedge is replaced, during operation 199C by:

. a displacement of the print head 55, and. a change in direction of movement of the direction of movement of the letter, after printing has been carried out, and after the letter has left the device. FIG. 20 represents a flow diagram implemented in the sixth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13. The operations and tests 200 to 209 are respectively identical to the operations and tests 150 to 159 (FIG. 15) except that: 21

a letter detection operation 206B is inserted between operations 208A and 207B, and

- Operations 206B, 207B and 208B are carried out by another device than operations and tests 200 to 208A and 209. It should be remembered that the invention is not limited to the examples described and shown.

Claims

22 CLAIMS

1. Device (1) for printing a franking mark at a predetermined location (3) on one side of a postal item (2), comprising printing means (21, 30) adapted to form said mark franking at said location while the postal object is moved opposite said printing means, characterized in that it comprises printing means (45, 55) adapted to successively form, on the one hand, the mark d postage and, on the other hand, the destination address during two successive movements of said postal item.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the directions of printing of the franking mark, on the one hand, and of the destination address, on the other hand, are opposite, the postal object being returned between its two movements opposite the printing means (45).

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the directions of printing of the franking mark, on the one hand, and of the destination address, on the other hand, are identical, the postal object retaining its orientation between its two displacements opposite the printing means (45).

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises two support positions, the postal object coming successively to bear in one of these positions during each of its two movements .

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the printing means comprise at least one ink jet or thermal transfer print head.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the printing means are fixed during each printing and in that said device comprises means (9, 10, 12, 13) for setting movement of the postal object opposite the printing means. 23

7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the printing means (55) comprise a movable part opposite a passage of postal object, said movable part being set in motion between two successive passages of the same postal item.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises motor means (9, 10, 12, 13) adapted to move said postal object in two opposite directions, the printing of the franking mark being carried out at during a first movement and the printing of the address being carried out during a second movement carried out with a direction of movement opposite to the direction of the first movement.

9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a calculator adapted to take account of the destination address to calculate the amount of postage represented by the postage mark and at controlling the operation of the printing means.

10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two identical printing devices (1), arranged so that a postal object which leaves the first printing device, being driven by this first delivery device. printing, enters, during the same movement, in the second printing device and is driven there by the second printing device, one of said printing devices comprising the first printing means adapted to form the mark of franking and the other of said printing devices comprising the second printing means adapted to form the destination address.

11. Method for printing a postage mark at a predetermined location (3) on one side of a postal item (2), characterized in that it comprises:

- A first step of moving the postal object opposite printing means (176A, 177A); 24

a first printing step (178A) during which said franking mark is formed at said location while the postal object is moved opposite said printing means,

- a second step of moving the postal object opposite printing means (179A, 176B, 177B);

- a second printing step (178B) during which the destination address is formed during a movement of said postal object.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the directions of movement of the postal object opposite the printing means are opposite during the two printing stages, the postal object being returned between its two movements in view of the printing means (45).

13. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the directions of movement of the postal object opposite the printing means are identical during the two printing stages, the postal object retaining its orientation between its two movements opposite the printing means (45).

14. Method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that:

- During the first step of moving, the postal object comes to bear a first support position; and during the second stage of displacement, the postal object comes to bear from a second support position different from the first support position.