Inventor Paul Onish has recently been awarded United States Patent #9,747,531 for the design of a flatbed envelope printer for the desktop. You could say, "It's about time" as this new printer solves a real-world problem for end users, SMB companies and organizations that need to mail letters.
While many print services have moved to the cloud, many businesses still have instances where they need to physically mail what's printed. For example, invoices, invitations, and sales promotions...
Onish addresses this market which may be too big for a niche market but big enough to be called a "specialty market."
It holds 250 envelopes (#10 or various European sizes) in the rear cartridge tray, accommodating multiple sized and any odd shaped envelopes.
The printer can be rotated 90 degrees to connect and print large manila envelopes. (e.g., 10” by 12”)
It eliminates the need for the user to swap-out copy paper and insert envelopes as needed to print - then return paper to continue document printing.
It prints on paper from 20LB up to 200LB as well as small (6” x 2-3/4“) personal checks or other STIFF documents (because the paper needs not have to bend).
The standalone Flatbed Envelope printer engine can be either Inkjet or Laser and will print within 2 seconds without crushing, crunching or crumbling the paper : the Return Address, an electronic postage stamp and the “To:" address.
The Flatbed document printer is Wi-Fi enabled and can operate using standard USB 2 or USB 3. It is also available with a low voltage power supply.
The inventor, Paul Onish, is a graduate of NYIT with a BSEE, and has been designing printers, computer peripheral equipment, and software for many years. Here’s how Paul came to develop this useful printer:
“I guess I am a pretty typical small business owner. I was sending out customized information to my clients and adding multiple merged data documents into an envelope. I was using a standard laser printer with no envelope feeder.
“I had to insert a short pile of white printer paper, print out the information for one client, then remove the paper, adjust the guides to accommodate the envelope necessary, print the address on the envelop and remove it from the exit tray. Then I needed to add my return address label and paste a USPS Stamp in the top right hand corner of the envelope.
“I still wasn’t done with this chore. Then I had to open up the paper tray and re-adjust the guides to accommodate the plain paper, close the tray back into the printer, and print the next set of merged data documents for the next client.
“Whew! And I had to repeat this process for 100+ names—and again each month for my mailings... It sure wasn’t very efficient and it made getting out a small mailing a lengthy and complicated project. I did look for another solution but never found one.
“This happened every month until I had an idea to develop a printer that would hold several hundred multiple sized envelopes in a rear-adjustable cartridge. I designed the Envelope Printer to solve my problem—and the problem that many others face.
“I started with the #10 USA format and adjusted to a different size to accommodate other smaller documents like personal checks and larger ones such as Manilla envelopes (for brochures) that measure 10” x 14”.
“Leading software companies and the USPS confirmed their software could print a stamp on my envelope while it prints the “From: Address” and the “To: Address.” The result is a printed envelope in about two seconds, neatly stacked in the outbound exit tray in front of the printer. No address labels needed, no return labels needed and it’s not necessary to manually stick a stamp in the upper right-hand corner. A big problem solved!”
The patented Envelope Printer design is available for license by any manufacturer, retailer, or distributor that has a base of SMB and HOBB customers. It can be built affordably and meets a specific market need. Onish is the sole owner of the patent and available if any help is needed for design or modification.
