VARIABLE DIAMETER PNEUMATIC TUBE BRAKE
First Claim
1. A brake for use in a pneumatic tube carrier system, comprising:
- a pneumatic tube having a sidewall that at least partially defines an internal bore extending between an inlet and an outlet, wherein said internal bore has a first cross dimension sized to accommodate the passage of a pneumatic carrier there through;
a deflectable sidewall portion of said pneumatic tube, wherein said deflectable sidewall portion is selectively deflectable relative to the internal bore to establish a second cross dimension at least at one axial location along a length of the pneumatic tube between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the second cross dimension is less than the first cross dimension; and
an actuator in operative communication with the deflectable sidewall portion, wherein the actuator is operative to displace at least a portion of the deflectable sidewall portion relative to internal bore of the pneumatic tube.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A braking device and method is provided that is operative to selectively slow and/or stop a pneumatic carrier within a pneumatic carrier system. Generally, the device includes a pneumatic tube that is sized to permit the passage of pneumatic carriers. The pneumatic tube includes at least one braking element that may be disposed into the bore of the pneumatic tube to at least partially impede the passage of a pneumatic carrier through the bore. In one embodiment, the braking element is formed as a variable diameter section of the pneumatic tube that may be selectively constricted to change the diameter of the bore of the pneumatic tube. Such constriction may slow and/or stop the passage of a pneumatic carrier through the bore of the pneumatic tube.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A brake for use in a pneumatic tube carrier system, comprising:
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a pneumatic tube having a sidewall that at least partially defines an internal bore extending between an inlet and an outlet, wherein said internal bore has a first cross dimension sized to accommodate the passage of a pneumatic carrier there through; a deflectable sidewall portion of said pneumatic tube, wherein said deflectable sidewall portion is selectively deflectable relative to the internal bore to establish a second cross dimension at least at one axial location along a length of the pneumatic tube between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the second cross dimension is less than the first cross dimension; and an actuator in operative communication with the deflectable sidewall portion, wherein the actuator is operative to displace at least a portion of the deflectable sidewall portion relative to internal bore of the pneumatic tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19)
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7. (canceled)
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11. (canceled)
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14. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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21. (canceled)
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22. A method for slowing a pneumatic carrier passing through a pneumatic tube of a pneumatic tube carrier system, the method comprising:
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deflecting a sidewall of a pneumatic tube at a first axial location from a first cross dimension to a deflected second cross dimension, wherein the second cross dimension is less than the first cross dimension; and
,contacting a pneumatic carrier passing through the first axial location of the tube with at least a portion of the deflected sidewall at the first axial location, wherein contacting causes the pneumatic carrier to slow from a first speed to a second slower speed. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A brake for use in a pneumatic tube carrier system, comprising:
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a sidewall defining a bore extending between an inlet and an outlet and, the bore having a first cross dimension and having a plurality of slits extending through the sidewall defining a selectively deflectable sidewall portion, the bore being in communication with a length of pneumatic tubing; a first compression band circumferentially arranged exterior to the selectively deflectable sidewall portion at a first location along the sidewall; and
,a first actuator engaged with the first compression band and operative to selectively tighten and loosen the compression band, wherein tightening the compression band compresses the deflectable sidewall portion to define a deflected bore having a second cross dimension at the first location, wherein the second cross dimension is less than the first cross dimension. - View Dependent Claims (25, 27, 28)
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26. (canceled)
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29. (canceled)
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30. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:
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a second compression band circumferentially arranged exterior to the selectively deflectable sidewall portion at a second location along the sidewall; and a second actuator engaged with the second compression band and operative to selectively tighten and loosen the second compression band.
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- 31. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are independently controlled.
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33-35. -35. (canceled)
Specification