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 via a compression band disposed around the pneumatic tube, wherein the actuator is operative to constrict the compression band 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.
108 Citations
23 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 via a compression band disposed around the pneumatic tube, wherein the actuator is operative to constrict the compression band 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, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. 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 (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. 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 plurality of deflectable sidewall portions evenly spaced about the circumference of the internal bore, wherein said deflectable sidewall portions are 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; a band circumferentially arranged exterior to the plurality of deflectable sidewall portions; and an actuator in operative communication with the band, wherein the actuator is operative to displace the band to displace at least a portion of each of the plurality of deflectable sidewall portions relative to internal bore of the pneumatic tube. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification