MULTIPLE CARRIER HANDLING IN A PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM

• US 20140270995A1
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Hoganson, Kenneth Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,650,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/110
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/26 Stations
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/32 for despatch, delivery, and transit

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method (i.e., utility) is provided for increasing the resource utilization of a pneumatic tube system (PTS). This utility allows for moving two or more carriers during a single air source cycle. That is, air pressure or vacuum during a single cycle of an air source may be utilized to move multiple carriers and thereby reduce the total number of cycles required to complete two or more transactions. Accordingly, the throughput of the PTS may be increased.

Claims

1. A pneumatic handling device for receiving one or more pneumatic carriers moving in a first direction through an inlet/outlet port and expelling the one or more pneumatic carriers out of the inlet/outlet port moving in a second direction, comprising:

a diverter including;

a head end port;

a transfer end with a plurality of inlet/outlet ports connectable with a first plurality of pneumatic tubes; and

a first transfer tube for selectively pneumatically connecting one of said first plurality of inlet/outlet ports to said head end port;

a carrier handling device including;

an air source port connectable to an air source that is operative to provide air flow in first and second directions through said air source port;

a carrier port interconnected to said head end port of said diverter for receiving and dispatching pneumatic carriers;

at least first and second carrier docks disposed between said air source port and said carrier port, wherein each carrier dock is adapted to receive and a pneumatic carrier received through said carrier port.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first and second carrier docks are serially disposed between said air source port and said carrier port.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of said carrier docks further comprises:

a gripper for selectively applying a compressive force to a pneumatic carrier disposed within said dock.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said carrier handling device further comprises:

a rotating carriage disposed between said air source port and said carrier port, wherein said at least first and second carrier docks are disposed in parallel between first and second ends of said rotating carriage, wherein said rotating carriage is operative selectively to rotate each said carrier dock into alignment with said carrier port.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said carrier dock comprises a tube having an internal bore sized to receive a pneumatic carrier there within, wherein airflow passes through said internal bore between said air port and said carrier port, in an absence of a carrier being disposed within said internal bore, when said carrier dock is aligned with said carrier port.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein each carrier dock further comprises:

a gripper for selectively applying a compressive force to a pneumatic carrier disposed within said dock.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a reader operative to read identification elements on carriers disposed within said carrier handling device.

3. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

10. A method for use in operating a pneumatic tube system, comprising:

operating an air source of a pneumatic tube system (PTS) to provide an airflow in a first direction;

sequentially applying the first direction airflow to first and second carrier stations pneumatically connectable to the air source, where the first and second carrier stations have first and second carriers staged for movement into the PTS and where the first direction airflow is continuous during the sequential application;

moving the first and second carriers via the first direction airflow to a carrier handling device disposed within the PTS between the air source and the carrier stations.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing the first and second carriers in first and second carrier docks in the carrier handling device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a first carrier in a first carrier dock; and

rotating the first carrier dock out of the path of the first direction airflow;

rotating a second carrier dock into the path of the first direction airflow; and

receiving the second carrier in the second carrier dock.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising;

aligning at least a first pneumatic component to establish at least a portion of a pneumatic path between the carrier handling device and a destination location associated with one of the carriers; and

operating the air source to provide a second direction airflow to move at least one of the carriers out of at least one of the carrier docks of the carrier handling device and into the pneumatic path.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and second carriers move out of the carrier handling device in said second direction airflow.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said first and second carriers are simultaneously in motion for at least a portion of their movement between the carrier handing device and at least one downstream pneumatic component.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said first and second carriers are simultaneously in motion for at least a portion of the movement between the carrier stations and the carrier handling device.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein sequentially applying further comprises;

establishing a first pneumatic path between the air source and the first carrier station;

moving the first carrier out of the first carrier station; and

realigning at least a portion of the pneumatic path to establish a second pneumatic path between the air source and the second carrier station.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein realignment occurs while the first carrier is in transit between said first carrier station and said carrier handling device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

identifying the first carrier moving through a pneumatic transfer device connectable to the first and second carrier stations; and

realigning the pneumatic transfer device after the first carrier moves through the pneumatic transfer device.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the first and second carriers at the carrier handling device; and

operating the air source to provide a second direction airflow to move the carriers out of the carrier handling device.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

reading an identification device associated with the carriers at said carrier handling device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said identification device is read from one of the carrier and the contents of the carrier.

13. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)