Cartridge ejection and data acquisition system

• US 20070119328A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MLH Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: MLH Technologies LLC A Delaware Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Miller, Brian, Haynes, Robert, Henry, Donald, Maglio, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/281,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20070119328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/334
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/00 Distributing devices specially adapted for liquid manure or other fertilising liquid, including ammonia, e.g. transport tanks or sprinkling wagons
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/00 Compressed-gas guns, e.g. air guns; Steam guns
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/48 smoke-producing , e.g. infrared clouds

Abstract

An ejection system includes a frame; a controller unit coupled to the frame and adapted to receive a command input; a cartridge ejection unit coupled to the frame and adapted to eject a cartridge in response to the received command input; and a recording unit coupled to the controller unit and adapted to record data when the cartridge is ejected.

Claims

1. An end cap of a smoke cartridge, comprising:

a nozzle adapted to be coupled to the end of a smoke cartridge;

an aperture defined within a first surface of the nozzle; and

a channel extending tortuously through the nozzle, the channel being in fluid communication with the aperture and the interior of the smoke cartridge.

2. The end cap of claim 1, wherein the nozzle includes thermoplastic material.

3. The end cap of claim 1, wherein the nozzle includes thermoset material.

4. The end cap of claim 1, wherein the nozzle includes unitary sections.

5. The end cap of claim 1, further comprising a pressure-sensitive activation unit fixed within the nozzle.

6. The end cap of claim 5, wherein the pressure-sensitive activation unit and the aperture are coaxially aligned.

7. The end cap of claim 1, wherein the aperture is tapered.

8. A smoke cartridge, comprising:

a first tube;

a nozzle coupled to the first tube, the nozzle having a channel extending tortuously therethrough and an aperture in fluid communication with the channel;

a pressure-sensitive activation unit fixed inside the first tube and coaxially aligned with the aperture; and

a smoke capsule inside the first tube and in fluid communication with the channel.

9. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, wherein the aperture and the first tube are coaxially aligned.

10. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, wherein the pressure-sensitive activation unit is fixed within the nozzle.

11. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, wherein the smoke capsule includes:

a second tube; and

a smoke generating material within the second tube.

12. The smoke cartridge of claim 11, further comprising an ignition assistor between the pressure-sensitive activation unit and the smoke generating material.

13. The smoke cartridge of claim 12, wherein the ignition assistor includes an ignition-assisting material sandwiched between to rupturable films.

14. The smoke cartridge of claim 12, wherein the ignition assistor includes an ignitable compound.

15. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, further comprising insulating material between the smoke capsule and the interior surface of the first tube.

16. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, further comprising:

a base cap coupled to the first tube; and

ballast material between the base cap and the smoke capsule.

17. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, wherein the smoke generating material includes potassium nitrate (KNO₃) and sugar.

18. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, wherein the smoke generating material includes potassium nitrate (KNO₃), sulfur (S), sugar, and charcoal.

19. The smoke cartridge of claim 8, wherein the smoke generating material includes potassium chlorate (KClO₃), sugar, and pigment.

20. A cartridge ejection unit, comprising:

a magazine housing adapted to contain a plurality of cartridges;

an actuator unit coupled to the magazine housing and adapted to exert a force on a cartridge contained within the magazine housing and eject the cartridge from the magazine housing;

a cartridge moving unit coupled to the magazine housing and adapted to align the plurality of cartridges with the actuator unit; and

an alignment block coupled to an end portion of the magazine housing and adapted to orient a cartridge aligned with the actuator unit.

21. The cartridge ejection unit of claim 20, wherein the cartridge moving unit includes:

a ram disposed within the magazine housing; and

a constant force spring connected between the magazine housing and the ram.

22. The cartridge ejection unit of claim 20, wherein the alignment block includes a standoff element having a contact surface that contacts a cartridge aligned with the actuator unit.

23. The cartridge ejection unit of claim 22, further including a catch mechanism coupled to the standoff element and adapted to partially overlap a cartridge aligned with the actuator unit, wherein the aligned cartridge is between the actuator unit and the catch mechanism.

24. The cartridge ejection unit of claim 23, wherein the catch mechanism includes an ejection roller coupled to the standoff element.

25. An ejection system, comprising:

a frame;

a controller unit coupled to the frame and adapted to receive a command input; and

a cartridge ejection unit coupled to the frame and adapted to eject a cartridge in response to the received command input.

26. The ejection system of claim 25, further comprising a recording unit coupled to the controller unit and adapted to record data when the cartridge is ejected.

27. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge includes a weather/environmental sensor.

28. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge includes a data storage system.

29. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge includes a communications device.

30. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge includes a descent-assistance device.

31. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge includes a discharge system.

32. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge ejection unit is adapted to initiate a process within a cartridge upon ejecting the cartridge.

33. The ejection system of claim 26, wherein the recording unit is adapted to record video data representing a video segment generated by a video camera.

34. The ejection system of claim 33, wherein the video camera is adapted to be operated by a user.

35. The ejection system of claim 26, wherein the recording unit is adapted to record navigational data.

36. The ejection system of claim 26, wherein the recording unit is adapted to record meteorological data.

37. The ejection system of claim 25, further comprising a cooling assembly coupled to the frame, the cooling assembly adapted to cool the controller unit.

38. The ejection system of claim 25, wherein the cartridge ejection unit includes:

a cartridge retainment unit adapted to contain a plurality of cartridges, the cartridge retainment unit including an ejection opening defined therein through which the cartridges are ejectable; and

an actuator unit coupled to the cartridge retainment unit and adapted to eject cartridges through the ejection opening.

39. The ejection system of claim 38, wherein the cartridge retainment unit is detachably coupled to the frame.

40. The ejection system of claim 38, further comprising circuitry coupled to the frame, the circuitry adapted to communicatively couple the cartridge retainment unit with the controller unit.

41. The ejection system of claim 38, further comprising a gate moveably coupled to the frame and adapted to selectively overlap with the ejection opening.