Method and system for sealing products in a pneumatic tube carrier

• US 20110027020A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pevco Systems International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pevco Systems International, Inc.
• Inventors: Valerino, Fredrick M. SR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,029,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/046 the nozzles co-operating, or being combined, with a device for opening or closing the container or wrapper B65B31/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/022 for making bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/146 Closing bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/08 Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/28 for despatch

Abstract

A pneumatic tube system, including at least one system control module for controlling delivery of a pneumatic carrier through pneumatic tubing. The system includes at least one pneumatic tube station having a sealer, the sealer includes a heating pad and a sealing strip, where the sealer automatically grips the open end within the heating pad and the sealing strip upon insertion of the bag into the system. In one example, the sealer creates a vacuum to extract air from an interior space of the bag. The sealer applies heat to the open end to seal the bag. The system includes at least one pneumatic tube station configured for sending at least one carrier, the at least one sending pneumatic tube station being in signal communication with the at least one system control module, where the at least one carrier is sent through the system by pneumatic tubing.

Claims

1. A system for packaging a bag, comprising:

a bag having an interior space, wherein said bag includes an open end and three closed ends; and

a sealer for receiving said open end, wherein said sealer includes a heating pad and a sealing strip, wherein said sealer automatically grips said open end within said heating pad and said sealing strip upon insertion of said bag into said system, and further wherein said sealer applies heat to said open end to seal said bag.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum device for applying a vacuum to extract air from an interior space of said bag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sealer comprises means for gripping said bag between said heating pad and said sealing strip.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said sealer applies heat to said bag through said heating pad.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said sealer is preprogrammed to apply heat to said bag for a predetermined time.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said sealer comprises a plurality of piston rods for gripping said bag.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said sealer comprises a compressor for applying a compressive force on said plurality of piston rods.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said sealer comprises a first relay switch programmed for controlling said vacuum applied to said bag.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said sealer comprises a second relay switch programmed for controlling said heat applied to said bag.

10. A system for transporting a-sealed bag, comprising:

at least one system control module comprising;

at least one database module; and

at least one computer control center module in signal communication with

said database module;

at least one pneumatic tube station having a sealer, said sealer comprising a heating pad and a sealing strip, wherein said sealer automatically grips said open end within said heating pad and said sealing strip upon insertion of said bag into said system, and further wherein said sealer applies heat to the open end to seal said open end,

wherein said at least one pneumatic tube station is configured for sending at least one carrier, said at least one sending pneumatic tube station being in signal communication with said at least one system control module, wherein said at least one carrier is sent through said system by pneumatic tubing,

wherein said at least one system control module captures tracking information associated with sending and receiving said at least one carrier,

wherein said at least one computer control center module is configured to receive said delivery information from said at least one pneumatic tube station,

wherein said at least one database module is configured to store said delivery information from said computer control center module, and

wherein said at least one computer control center module is further configured to interpret said delivery information and send commands to said system to control routing of said at least one carrier in said pneumatic tubing.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a vacuum device for applying a vacuum to extract air from an interior space of said bag.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said sealer includes a compressor for creating a vacuum.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said sealer comprises means for gripping said bag between said heating pad and said sealing strip.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said sealer applies heat to said bag through said heating pad.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said sealer is preprogrammed to apply heat to said bag for a predetermined time.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said gripping means comprises of a plurality of piston rods.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said sealer comprises a compressor for applying a compressive force on said plurality of piston rods.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said sealer comprises a first relay switch programmed for controlling said vacuum applied to said bag.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein said sealer comprises a second relay switch programmed for controlling said heat applied to said bag.

20. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one slide plate disposed in said pneumatic tubing for holding said at least one carrier above said at least one pneumatic tube station, wherein said at least one side plate holding said at least one carrier until a user scans information regarding identification of said user by said at least one computer control center module.

21. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one identifying tag reader configured for reading identifier tags associated with said at least one carrier.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said identifier tags are one of an optically scannable identifier tag or a RFID tag.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one identifying tag reader is a handheld Personal Digital Assistant.

24. A method for sealing a bag, comprising:

providing a bag having an item to be sealed, where said bag has an open end and plurality of closed ends;

inserting said open end into a slot located in a sealing apparatus;

gripping said open end in said sealing apparatus;

applying heat to said open end to seal said bag.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said sealing apparatus comprises a receiving slot, a heating pad and a sealing strip, wherein said open end is held between said heating pad and said sealing strip upon insertion of said bag into said receiving slot.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising applying a vacuum force to said open end to evacuate air from said carrier bag.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said sealing apparatus includes a compressor for creating a vacuum.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said sealing apparatus comprises means for gripping said bag between said heating pad and said sealing strip.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said sealing apparatus applies heat to said bag through said heating pad.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said sealing apparatus is preprogrammed to apply heat to said bag for a predetermined time.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said sealing apparatus comprises a first relay switch programmed for controlling said vacuum applied to said bag.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said sealing apparatus comprises a second relay switch programmed for controlling said heat applied to said bag.