Station and pneumatic tube system

Abstract

To guide an article to a pneumatic tube from a transmission arrangement position where the article is arranged at the time of transmission without hindrance.SOLUTION: A transmission station 1 used for a pneumatic tube system 100 includes a guide tube 10 connected to a pneumatic tube 3, a movable tube 20 inserted inside the guide tube 10 and movable along the guide tube 10, and a drive part 30 for moving the movable tube 20. The driving part 30 can move the movable pipe 20 to an extended position where the movable pipe 20 is fed from the guide pipe 10 and a contracted position where the feeding length is short. The extended position is a position in which the movable tube 20 is fed out so as to accommodate the article T disposed at the transmission-time disposition position P1, which is a position at which the article T is disposed when transmitting the article T, in the movable tube 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a station and a pneumatic tube system. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a pneumatic tube system that transports pneumatic elements (items) by airflow. This pneumatic tube system includes a transmitting station that transmits the pneumatic elements, a receiving station that receives the pneumatic elements, and a pneumatic tube that connects the transmitting station and the receiving station.

[0003] In this transmitting station, the pneumatic element is inserted into the pneumatic tube by raising the pneumatic element placed on the elevator device, and in the receiving station, the pneumatic element is transported to the end of the pneumatic tube, placed on the elevator device, and then the elevator device is lowered to remove the pneumatic element from the pneumatic tube. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-43719 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the transmitting station, when the air transport element is raised by the elevator device and inserted into the pneumatic tube, the air transport element may tilt or become misaligned due to vibrations or the like, making it impossible to insert the air transport element into the pneumatic tube. Also, in the receiving station, when the elevator device is lowered, the air transport element may fall over due to vibrations or the like, making it impossible to properly withdraw the air transport element.

[0006] Therefore, this disclosure describes a station that can guide an item smoothly from the transmission placement position where the item is placed during transmission to the pneumatic tube, a station that can guide an item smoothly from the pneumatic tube to the item arrival position, and a pneumatic tube system that includes these stations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A station according to one aspect of the present disclosure is [1] "a station used in a pneumatic tube system that transports articles by airflow along a pneumatic tube that serves as a transport path, and that transmits the articles, comprising: a guide tube connected to the pneumatic tube; a movable tube inserted inside the guide tube and movable along the guide tube; and a drive unit that moves the movable tube along the guide tube, wherein the drive unit is capable of moving the movable tube between an extended position where the movable tube is pulled out from the guide tube and a retracted position where the length of the movable tube pulled out from the guide tube is shorter than the extended position, and the extended position is a position where the movable tube is pulled out so as to accommodate the article, which is positioned at a transmission time position, where the article is positioned at the time of transmission, within the movable tube."

[0008] This station includes a movable tube that can be retracted from a guide tube. A drive unit can move the movable tube between an extended position where the length of the movable tube that is retracted from the guide tube is long and a retracted position where the length of the movable tube that is retracted from the guide tube is short. In this extended position, the movable tube is retracted so that an article placed at the transmission position is accommodated within the movable tube. In other words, this station can connect the transmission position and the pneumatic tube by retracting the movable tube, and can guide the article placed at the transmission position to the pneumatic tube via the movable tube and guide tube by airflow. In this way, this station can smoothly guide the article from the transmission position, where the article is placed during transmission, to the pneumatic tube.

[0009] The above station may be [2] "the station described in [1] above, further comprising: a seal having a cylindrical shape surrounding an axis, the movable pipe being passed through the cylindrical shape, and arranged between the outer peripheral surface of the movable pipe and the inner peripheral surface of the guide pipe; a first end which is one end of the seal in the axial direction having a larger diameter than a second end which is the other end of the seal in the axial direction; when a direction from an external space through a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the movable pipe and the inner peripheral surface of the guide pipe to the inside of the guide pipe is defined as an inflow direction, the seal is arranged in an orientation such that the second end is located upstream of the first end in the inflow direction; the first end is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the guide pipe; when no air flow is generated, the second end is spaced from the outer peripheral surface of the movable pipe; and when an air flow is generated that causes negative pressure inside the guide pipe and the movable pipe, the second end comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the movable pipe, thereby obstructing the flow of air in the inflow direction."

[0010] In this station, a seal is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. A first end of this seal, having a large diameter, is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. A second end of this seal, having a small diameter, is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube. This allows the station to suppress wear of the seal even when the movable tube is moved between the extended position and the retracted position. Furthermore, when an air flow that creates negative pressure inside the guide tube and the movable tube occurs, the second end of this seal abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube, thereby obstructing the flow of air in the inflow direction. In other words, when an air flow for conveying articles is generated, the seal seals the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. This allows the station to efficiently convey articles using the air flow, even when it includes a movable tube.

[0011] The above station may be [3] "a station as described in [1] or [2] above, further comprising a conveying device for conveying the item to the transmission time placement position, the transmission time placement position being set on the conveying surface of the conveying device, and the extension position being a position where the movable tube is extended so as to accommodate the item on the conveying device that has been conveyed to the transmission time placement position within the movable tube."

[0012] In this case, the station can transport the article to the transmission placement position by the transport device, and this station can guide the article transported to the transmission transport position to the pneumatic tube by extending the movable tube to the extended position.

[0013] Another aspect of the station of the present disclosure is [4] "a station used in a pneumatic tube system that transports articles by air flow along a pneumatic tube that serves as a transport path, the station receiving the articles, the station comprising: a guide tube connected to the pneumatic tube; a movable tube inserted inside the guide tube and movable along the guide tube; and a drive unit that moves the movable tube along the guide tube, the drive unit being capable of moving the movable tube between an extended position where the movable tube is reeled out from the guide tube and a retracted position where the length of the movable tube extended from the guide tube is shorter than in the extended position, the extended position being a position where the movable tube is reeled out so as to guide the articles to an article arrival position where the articles transported by the air flow arrive."

[0014] This station includes a movable tube that can be retracted from a guide tube. A drive unit can move the movable tube between an extended position where the length of the movable tube that is retracted from the guide tube is long and a retracted position where the length of the movable tube that is retracted from the guide tube is short. The extended position is a position where the movable tube is retracted so as to guide the articles to an article arrival position, which is the arrival position of the articles transported by the airflow. In other words, this station connects the pneumatic tube and the article arrival position by retracting the movable tube, and can guide the articles from the pneumatic tube to the article arrival position via the guide tube and the movable tube by the airflow. In this way, this station can guide the articles from the pneumatic tube to the article arrival position without any hindrance.

[0015] The station described above is [5] "the station described in [4] above, which has a cylindrical shape surrounding an axis, and further includes a seal arranged between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube by passing the movable tube through the cylindrical shape, wherein a first end which is one end of the seal in the axial direction has a larger diameter than a second end which is the other end of the seal in the axial direction, and when the direction from inside the guide tube through a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube to the outside space is defined as an outflow direction, the seal is arranged in an orientation where the second end is located upstream of the first end in the outflow direction, the first end is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube, and when no air flow is generated, the second end is spaced from the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube, and when an air flow is generated that causes positive pressure inside the guide tube and the movable tube, the second end of the seal abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube, thereby obstructing the flow of air in the outflow direction."

[0016] In this station, a seal is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. A first end of this seal, having a large diameter, is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. A second end of this seal, having a small diameter, is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube. This allows the station to suppress wear of the seal even when the movable tube is moved between the extended position and the retracted position. Furthermore, when an air flow that creates positive pressure inside the guide tube and the movable tube occurs, the second end of this seal abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube, thereby obstructing the flow of air in the outflow direction. In other words, when an air flow for conveying articles is generated, the seal seals the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube. This allows the station to efficiently convey articles using the air flow, even when it includes a movable tube.

[0017] The above station may also be [6] "a station as described in [4] or [5] above, further comprising a conveying device for conveying the item that has arrived at the item arrival position, the item arrival position being set on the conveying surface of the conveying device, and the extension position being a position where the movable tube is unreeled so as to guide the item to the item arrival position set on the conveying surface."

[0018] In this case, the station can transport the article that has been transported to the article arrival position to a location outside the article arrival position. The drive unit moves the movable tube to the extended position to guide the article to the article arrival position, and after the article arrives at the article arrival position, moves the movable tube to the retracted position. This allows the transport device to transport the article that has arrived at the article arrival position to a location outside the article arrival position without being obstructed by the movable tube.

[0019] The above station may be [7] "the station described in [1] or [4] above, further comprising a seal disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube and the inner peripheral surface of the guide tube."

[0020] In this case, the seal can improve airtightness between the inside of the guide tube and the movable tube and the external space at the overlapping portion between the outer circumferential surface of the movable tube and the inner circumferential surface of the guide tube, thereby enabling the station to efficiently transport articles by using the airflow generated inside the guide tube and the movable tube.

[0021] The above station may be [8] "A station described in any of the above [1] to [7], wherein a check valve is provided on the outer surface of the movable tube to allow air to flow into the movable tube and to block air from flowing out of the movable tube."

[0022] In this case, when an air flow that creates negative pressure inside the guide tube and movable tube occurs during the transmission of an article, the station can take in air through the check valve into the movable tube to promote the air flow that transports the article. Furthermore, when an air flow that creates positive pressure inside the guide tube and movable tube occurs during the reception of an article, the station can block the outflow of air from the check valve to the outside of the movable tube. This allows the station to prevent air from escaping from the tip of the movable tube, allowing the article to land gently on the surface at the article arrival position.

[0023] The above station may be [9] "A station described in any one of the above [1] to [8], wherein the tip of the movable tube in the direction of extension from the guide tube is tapered so that the diameter increases toward the tip."

[0024] In this case, when the station unwinds the movable tube from the guide tube and moves it to the extended position during transmission of the item, the station can easily accommodate the item within the movable tube while allowing for positional misalignment between the item installed at the installation position during transmission and the movable tube.

[0025] The above station may be

[10] "A station according to any one of the above [1] to [9], wherein a packing is attached to the tip of the movable tube in the direction of extension from the guide tube."

[0026] In this case, when the station moves the movable tube to the extended position during article transmission, the station can use a packing to close the gap between the article placement surface at the transmission installation position and the tip of the movable tube. Also, when the station moves the movable tube to the extended position during article reception, the station can use a packing to close the gap between the article placement surface at the article receiving position and the tip of the movable tube. This allows the station to suppress air leakage from between the article placement surface and the tip of the movable tube during transmission or reception. Therefore, the station can efficiently transport articles using airflow.

[0027] A station according to yet another aspect of the present disclosure is

[11] "a station according to any one of [1] to [3] above, a station according to any one of [4] to [6] above, a pneumatic tube system connecting the station according to any one of [1] to [3] above and the station according to any one of [4] to [6] above and comprising a pneumatic tube which serves as a transport path for articles, and a blower connected to the pneumatic tube for generating an air flow within the pneumatic tube."

[0028] As described above, in the pneumatic tube system, the pneumatic tube can be connected to the transmitting position by extending the movable tube, and the pneumatic tube can be connected to the article receiving position by extending the movable tube. This allows the pneumatic tube system to smoothly guide an article from the transmitting position, where the article is placed, to the pneumatic tube during transmission, and also to smoothly guide an article from the pneumatic tube to the article arrival position during reception. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] According to the present invention, an article can be guided smoothly from the transmission placement position where the article is placed at the time of transmission to the pneumatic tube, or from the pneumatic tube to the article arrival position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pneumatic tube system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Fig. 2(a) is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the transmitting station when the movable tube is moved to the retracted position, and Fig. 2(b) is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the transmitting station when the movable tube is moved to the extended position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration around a check valve provided in a movable pipe. [Figure 4] Figure 4(a) is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the receiving station when the movable tube is moved to the extended position, and Figure 4(b) is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the receiving station when the movable tube is moved to the retracted position. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration around the transmitting seal and the receiving seal in the transmitting station and the receiving station. [Figure 6] Figure 6(a) is a front view of the transmitter seal and the receiver seal, and Figure 6(b) is a top view of the transmitter seal and the receiver seal. [Figure 7] 7(a) and 7(b) are cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the transmitting side seal of the transmitting station. [Figure 8] 8(a) and 8(b) are cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the receiving-side seal of the receiving station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0032] The basic configuration of a pneumatic tube system 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The pneumatic tube system 100 shown in Fig. 1 is incorporated into a building such as a factory or hospital, and is a system for transporting an article T from one point to another within the building. The article T may be the object to be transported itself, or may be a pneumatic tube containing the object to be transported.

[0033] Pneumatic tube system 100 transports item T by airflow. Pneumatic tube system 100 includes a transmitting station (station) 1, a receiving station (station) 2, a pneumatic tube 3, a diverter 4, a blower 5, and a controller 6. Transmitting station 1 is the starting point for transmitting item T. Receiving station 2 receives item T transmitted from transmitting station 1, i.e., receiving station 2 is the destination point for item T. Pneumatic tube 3 is a transport path for transporting item T by airflow. Pneumatic tube 3 connects transmitting station 1 and receiving station 2. Pneumatic tube 3 can pass item T through its interior. Diverter 4 is provided midway along pneumatic tube 3.

[0034] The converter 4 receives the article T from one of the pneumatic tubes 3 connected to the converter 4 and sends the article T to the other pneumatic tube 3 connected to the converter 4. The blower 5 is connected to the pneumatic tube 3 via the converter 4. The blower 5 generates an air flow in the pneumatic tube 3. The blower 5 can be operated in two ways: by pumping air into the pneumatic tube 3 or by sucking air from the pneumatic tube 3. For example, the blower 5 transports the article T from the sending station 1 to the converter 4 by the air flow generated by sucking air from the pneumatic tube 3, and transports the article T from the converter 4 to the receiving station 2 by the air flow generated by pumping air into the pneumatic tube 3.

[0035] First, the configuration of the transmitting station 1 that transmits the article T will be described. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the transmitting station 1 includes a guide tube 10, a movable tube 20, a drive unit 30, a conveying device 40, and a check valve 50. The guide tube 10 is connected to the pneumatic tube 3. More specifically, the guide tube 10 includes a guide tube main body 11 and a seal holding unit 12. The guide tube main body 11 is, for example, a linearly extending circular tube that is arranged to extend in the vertical direction. The guide tube main body 11 has an inner diameter that allows the article T to pass therethrough. In other words, the inner diameter of the guide tube main body 11 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the article T. One end (here, the upper end) of the guide tube main body 11 is connected to the pneumatic tube 3. For example, the guide tube main body 11 may be configured to be connected to the pneumatic tube 3 by inserting the pneumatic tube 3 into the inside of the guide tube main body 11. The seal holding portion 12 is provided at the other end of the guide tube main body 11 (the end opposite to the end connected to the pneumatic tube 3: that is, the lower end).

[0036] The movable tube 20 is inserted inside the guide tube 10. The movable tube 20 is inserted into the other end (lower end) of the guide tube 10. The movable tube 20 has an inner diameter that allows the article T to pass inside. The movable tube 20 is, for example, a circular tube that extends in a straight line. The movable tube 20 is movable (slidable) along the guide tube main body 11 of the guide tube 10. In other words, the outer diameter of the movable tube 20 is smaller than the inner diameter of the guide tube 10. The tip end (lower end) of the movable tube 20 may be tapered so that the diameter increases toward the tip end.

[0037] The drive unit 30 moves the movable tube 20 along the guide tube 10. In this embodiment, the drive unit 30 moves the movable tube 20 in the up and down direction. The drive unit 30 can move the movable tube 20 along the guide tube 10 using various mechanisms. The drive unit 30 can change the length by which the movable tube 20 is pulled out from the guide tube 10. The drive unit 30 adjusts the length (movement range) by which the movable tube 20 is moved so that the movable tube 20 is not pulled out of the guide tube 10 (so that the movable tube 20 does not fall off from the guide tube 10).

[0038] The drive unit 30 can move the movable tube 20 between an extended position and a retracted position. The extended position is a position where the movable tube 20 is retracted from the guide tube 10 by a predetermined length. The retracted position is a position where the retracted length of the movable tube 20 from the guide tube 10 is shorter than that in the extended position. The conveying device 40 can convey the article T. In this embodiment, the conveying device 40 is a belt conveyor as an example. However, the conveying device 40 is not limited to a belt conveyor and may be, for example, a conveyor other than a belt conveyor, an automatic guided vehicle, or an autonomous mobile robot. The conveying device 40 has a conveying surface 40a on which the article T to be conveyed is placed. In this case, the conveying surface 40a is the upper surface of the belt of the belt conveyor. The conveying device 40 conveys the article T on the conveying surface 40a to the transmission placement position P1. The transmitting position P1 is set on the conveying surface 40a. The transmitting position P1 is a position facing the movable tube 20 in the vertical direction.

[0039] The transmission arrangement position P1 is a position where the article T is placed when the article T is transmitted by airflow. In other words, the transmission arrangement position P1 is a position that serves as the starting point for the transportation of the article T when the article T is transported by airflow. The transport device 40 transports the article T to this transmission arrangement position P1. The extension position of the movable tube 20 moved by the drive unit 30 of the transmitting station 1 is a position where the movable tube 20 is retracted so as to accommodate the article T on the transport surface 40a of the transport device 40 that has been transported to the transmission arrangement position P1 within the movable tube 20. In other words, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the drive unit 30 retracts the movable tube 20 relative to the guide tube 10 so that the movable tube 20 accommodates the article T placed at the transmission arrangement position P1, and accommodates the article T within the tip of the movable tube 20. In this embodiment, the drive unit 30 moves the movable tube 20, which is in the contracted position as shown in Figure 2(a), downward, thereby moving the movable tube 20 to the extended position as shown in Figure 2(b).

[0040] In this embodiment, the extended position in the transmitting station 1 is a position where the article T arranged at the transmitting arrangement position P1 is accommodated within the tip of the movable tube 20 and where the tip of the movable tube 20 abuts against the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40. Note that a gasket 60 may be provided at the tip of the movable tube 20 in the payout direction from the guide tube 10. In this case, when the movable tube 20 is moved to the extended position, the gasket 60 provided at the tip of the movable tube 20 abuts against the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40. This makes it possible to suppress air leakage between the tip of the movable tube 20 and the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40. However, the extended position in the transmitting station 1 is sufficient as long as at least a portion of the article T arranged at the transmitting arrangement position P1 is accommodated within the tip of the movable tube 20, and the tip of the movable tube 20 does not have to abut against the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40. In this case, the item T placed at the transmitting position P1 may block the opening at the tip of the movable tube 20 (reducing the gap between the inner surface of the movable tube 20 and the outer surface of the item T), allowing the item T to be transmitted by the air flow.

[0041] As described above, the retracted position is a position where the length of the movable tube 20 extending from the guide tube 10 is short. When the movable tube 20 is moved to the retracted position, the tip (lower end) of the movable tube 20 is spaced apart from the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40 by an amount equal to or greater than the height of the article T. In other words, as shown in FIG. 2(a), when the movable tube 20 is moved to the retracted position, the tip of the movable tube 20 does not interfere with the article T when the conveying device 40 conveys the article T to the sending arrangement position P1.

[0042] 3, the check valve 50 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable pipe 20. In this embodiment, the check valve 50 is provided near the tip of the movable pipe 20. The check valve 50 allows air to flow into the movable pipe 20 and blocks air from flowing out of the movable pipe 20.

[0043] For example, check valve 50 includes a main body 51, a valve element receiver 52, and a valve element 53. Main body 51 is cylindrical. The space inside main body 51 communicates with hole 20c provided in the wall surface of movable tube 20. Valve element receiver 52 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of main body 51. Valve element receiver 52 is annular and has a flow hole 52a on the inside. Valve element receiver 52 receives valve element 53. Valve element 53 is disposed inside main body 51. Valve element 53 is attached to main body 51 or valve element receiver 52 so as to be able to open and close flow hole 52a of valve element receiver 52. Valve element 53 swings in response to the pressure inside movable tube 20, opening and closing flow hole 52a of valve element receiver 52. When the air flow causes negative pressure inside the movable conduit 20, the valve element 53 swings toward the movable conduit 20 and opens the flow hole 52a of the valve element receiver 52. When the air flow causes positive pressure inside the movable conduit 20, the valve element 53 seats on the valve element receiver 52 and closes the flow hole 52a of the valve element receiver 52. However, the configuration of the check valve 50 shown in Figure 3 is just one example, and the configuration of the check valve 50 is not particularly limited.

[0044] Next, the configuration of the receiving station 2 that receives the item T will be described. The receiving station 2 has the same components as the sending station 1. Because the receiving station 2 is a device that receives the item T, its operation differs from that of the sending station 1 that transmits the item T. The following will focus on the differences in operation from the sending station 1, and the same components will be given the same reference numerals as the sending station 1 and their explanation will be simplified or omitted. As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the receiving station 2 has a guide tube 10, a movable tube 20, a drive unit 30, a conveying device 40, and a check valve 50. The guide tube 10 is connected to the pneumatic tube 3. The movable tube 20 is inserted inside the guide tube 10.

[0045] The drive unit 30 moves the movable tube 20 along the guide tube 10. As an example, the drive unit 30 moves the movable tube 20 in the vertical direction. The drive unit 30 can move the movable tube 20 between an extended position and a retracted position. The extended position is a position where the movable tube 20 is retracted a predetermined length from the guide tube 10. The retracted position is a position where the length of the movable tube 20 retracted from the guide tube 10 is shorter than in the extended position. The conveying device 40 can convey the item T. The conveying device 40 of the receiving station 2 conveys the item T in a different direction than the conveying device 40 of the sending station 1. The item arrival position P2 is set on the conveying surface 40a. The conveying device 40 conveys the item T that arrives at the item arrival position P2 on the conveying surface 40a. The item arrival position P2 is a position opposite the movable tube 20 in the vertical direction.

[0046] The item arrival position P2 is the arrival position of the item T transported by the airflow. In other words, the item arrival position P2 is the end point of the transport of the item T when the item T is transported by the airflow. The transport device 40 transports the item T that has arrived at the item arrival position P2 by the airflow out of the item arrival position P2. The extension position of the movable tube 20 moved by the drive unit 30 of the receiving station 2 is the position to which the movable tube 20 is unreeled so as to guide the item T to the item arrival position P2 set on the transport surface 40a of the transport device 40. In other words, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the drive unit 30 unreeles the movable tube 20 relative to the guide tube 10 so as to guide the item T to the item arrival position P2, and causes the movable tube 20 to guide the item T to the item arrival position P2. In this embodiment, the drive unit 30 moves the movable tube 20, which is in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 4(b), downward, thereby moving the movable tube 20 to the extended position as shown in FIG. 4(a).

[0047] In this embodiment, the extended position in the receiving station 2 is a position where the article T is guided to the article arrival position P2 and where the tip of the movable tube 20 in the payout direction abuts against the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40. Note that a packing 60 may be provided at the tip of the movable tube 20 in the payout direction from the guide tube 10. In this case, when the movable tube 20 is moved to the extended position, the packing 60 provided at the tip of the movable tube 20 abuts against the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40. This makes it possible to prevent air leakage between the tip of the movable tube 20 and the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40.

[0048] As described above, the retracted position is a position where the length of the movable tube 20 extended from the guide tube 10 is short. When the movable tube 20 is moved to the retracted position, the tip (lower end) of the movable tube 20 is spaced apart from the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40 by an amount equal to or greater than the height of the article T. In other words, as shown in FIG. 4(b), when the movable tube 20 is moved to the retracted position, the tip of the movable tube 20 does not interfere with the article T when the article T arrives at the article arrival position P2 on the conveying surface 40a and is conveyed by the conveying device 40. The check valve 50 allows air to flow into the movable tube 20 and blocks air from flowing out of the movable tube 20.

[0049] Next, the configuration of the area surrounding the connection between the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 in the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2 will be described in detail. The configuration of the area surrounding the connection between the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 is the same in the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2 each further include a transmitting seal (seal) 70 and a receiving seal (seal) 80. The transmitting seal 70 and the receiving seal 80 are each flexible. The transmitting seal 70 and the receiving seal 80 are formed of a flexible material such as rubber or resin. The seal holder 12 is fitted into the outer peripheral surface 11a of the guide tube main body 11. The seal holder 12 protrudes a predetermined length from the tip (lower end) of the guide tube main body 11.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the transmitter seal 70 has a cylindrical shape surrounding the axis L. In this embodiment, the transmitter seal 70 has a cylindrical shape surrounding the axis L. The movable tube 20 is passed through the inside of the cylindrical shape of the transmitter seal 70, and the transmitter seal 70 is disposed between the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner peripheral surface 10b of the guide tube 10. In this embodiment, the transmitter seal 70 is disposed between the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner peripheral surface 12b of the seal holding portion 12 of the guide tube 10.

[0051] The transmitter seal 70 has a large-diameter end (first end) 70a, which is one end in the direction of the axis L (direction along the axis L), and a small-diameter end (second end) 70b, which is the other end in the direction of the axis L. The large-diameter end 70a has a larger diameter than the small-diameter end 70b. As shown in FIG. 5 , the direction from the external space (the space outside the guide pipe 10 and the movable pipe 20) through a gap K between the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable pipe 20 and the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide pipe 10 to the inside of the guide pipe 10 (guide pipe main body 11) is defined as the inflow direction Y1. The transmitter seal 70 is arranged so that the small-diameter end 70b is located upstream of the large-diameter end 70a in the inflow direction Y1. Note that in FIG. 5 , the difference between the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide pipe 10 and the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable pipe 20 is intentionally exaggerated to show the gap K.

[0052] The large diameter end 70a of the transmitting seal 70 is attached to the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal retaining portion 12 of the guide tube 10. The method of attaching the large diameter end 70a of the transmitting seal 70 to the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal retaining portion 12 is not particularly limited. For example, the large diameter end 70a of the transmitting seal 70 may be attached by being fitted into a recess provided in the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal retaining portion 12, or may be attached by being adhered with an adhesive or the like. When no airflow for conveying the article T is generated, the small diameter end 70b of the transmitting seal 70 is spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20.

[0053] In this embodiment, the receiving seal 80 has the same shape as the transmitting seal 70. The receiving seal 80 has a large diameter end (first end) 80a and a small diameter end (second end) 80b, similar to the large diameter end 70a and small diameter end 70b of the transmitting seal 70. The receiving seal 80 is attached in the opposite direction to the transmitting seal 70. As shown in FIG. 5 , the direction from inside the guide tube 10 (guide tube main body 11) through the gap K between the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10 to the external space (the space outside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20) is defined as the outflow direction Y2. The receiving seal 80 is oriented such that the small diameter end 80b is located upstream of the large diameter end 80a in the outflow direction Y2.

[0054] Similar to the transmitting seal 70, the large diameter end 80a of the receiving seal 80 is attached to the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal holding portion 12 of the guide tube 10. When no airflow for conveying the article T is generated, the small diameter end 80b of the receiving seal 80 is spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20. In this embodiment, the receiving seal 80 is disposed upstream of the transmitting seal 70 in the inflow direction Y1. However, the receiving seal 80 may also be disposed downstream of the transmitting seal 70 in the inflow direction Y1.

[0055] A guide member 13 that guides the movement of the movable tube 20 is provided on the inner peripheral surface 12b of the seal holding portion 12. In this embodiment, two guide members 13 are provided. The guide members 13 are annular. The outer peripheral portions of the guide members 13 are attached to the inner peripheral surface 12b of the seal holding portion 12. The two guide members 13 are arranged to sandwich the transmitting side seal 70 and the receiving side seal 80 in the inflow direction Y1. The guide members 13 may be, for example, an annular resin member or a slide bearing.

[0056] The receiving station 2, like the sending station 1, is equipped with a sending seal 70 and a receiving seal 80. The configurations of the sending seal 70 and the receiving seal 80 equipped in the receiving station 2 are the same as those of the sending seal 70 and the receiving seal 80 equipped in the sending station 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, like the sending station 1, the receiving station 2 is equipped with a guide member 13.

[0057] Next, the operation of the transmitting side seal 70 in the transmitting station 1 will be described with reference to Figures 7(a) and 7(b). When transmitting an article T, the air in the pneumatic tube 3 is sucked in by the blower 5. This causes an air flow in the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 to create a negative pressure inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20.

[0058] When the insides of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 become negative pressure, as shown in Figure 7(a), an air flow in the inflow direction Y1 occurs in the gap K between the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 due to the pressure difference between the insides of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 and the outside space. This air flow draws the small diameter end 70b of the transmitting side seal 70 in the inflow direction Y1 and presses it against the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 as shown in Figure 7(b). After the small diameter end 70b of the transmitting side seal 70 abuts against the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20, this abutting state is maintained as long as the insides of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 remain negative pressure.

[0059] In this way, when transmitting the article T, the transmitter seal 70 provided in the transmitting station 1 is deformed by the negative pressure created inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20. The transmitter seal 70 then seals the gap between the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10 (here, the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal holding portion 12) and the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20. In other words, when an air flow that creates negative pressure inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 occurs, the transmitter seal 70 obstructs the flow of air in the inflow direction Y1 by abutting the small diameter end portion 70b against the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20. Therefore, when transmitting the article T, the transmitter seal 70 can prevent air from flowing into the guide tube 10 through the gap K between the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10 and the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20.

[0060] Furthermore, even if an air flow that creates negative pressure inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 occurs, the small diameter end 80b of the receiving side seal 80 of the transmitting station 1 does not abut against the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20. In other words, the receiving side seal 80 provided in the transmitting station 1 does not operate when the article T is being transmitted.

[0061] Next, the operation of the receiving side seal 80 in the receiving station 2 will be described with reference to Figures 8(a) and 8(b). When receiving an article T, air is pressurized into the pneumatic tube 3 by the blower 5. This generates an air flow in the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20, which creates a positive pressure inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20.

[0062] When the inside of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 becomes positive pressure, as shown in Figure 8(a), an air flow in the outflow direction Y2 is generated in the gap K between the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 due to the pressure difference between the inside of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 and the outside space. This air flow pulls the small diameter end 80b of the receiving side seal 80 in the outflow direction Y2 and presses it against the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 as shown in Figure 8(b). After the small diameter end 80b of the receiving side seal 80 abuts against the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20, this abutting state is maintained as long as the inside of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 remains positive pressure.

[0063] In this way, when receiving the article T, the receiving-side seal 80 provided in the receiving station 2 is deformed by the positive pressure inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20. The receiving-side seal 80 then seals the gap between the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10 (here, the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal holding portion 12) and the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20. In other words, when an air flow that creates a positive pressure inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 occurs, the small diameter end portion 80b of the receiving-side seal 80 abuts against the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20, thereby obstructing the flow of air in the outflow direction Y2. Therefore, when receiving the article T, the receiving-side seal 80 can prevent air from leaking out of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 through the gap K between the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10 and the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20.

[0064] Furthermore, even if the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 are under positive pressure, the small diameter end 70b of the transmitting seal 70 of the receiving station 2 does not come into contact with the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20. In other words, the transmitting seal 70 provided in the receiving station 2 does not operate when the article T is received.

[0065] The controller 6 shown in Figure 1 controls the operation of each part of the pneumatic tube system 100. The controller 6 is an electronic control unit having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The controller 6, for example, loads a program recorded in the ROM into the RAM and executes the program loaded into the RAM with the CPU, thereby realizing various functions. The controller 6 may be composed of multiple electronic control units.

[0066] The controller 6 controls the operation of the drive unit 30 and the conveying device 40 in the sending station 1. The controller 6 controls the operation of the drive unit 30 and the conveying device 40 in the receiving station 2. The controller 6 controls the switching of the conveying path of the article T in the diverter 4. Furthermore, the controller 6 controls the operation of the blower 5.

[0067] When transmitting the item T, the controller 6 controls the conveying device 40 of the transmitting station 1 as shown in Figure 2 to move the item T to the transmitting position P1. At this time, the controller 6 controls the drive unit 30 of the transmitting station 1 to position the movable tube 20 in the retracted position. Next, the controller 6 controls the drive unit 30 of the transmitting station 1 to move the movable tube 20 to the extended position as shown in Figure 2(b). This places the item T in a state where it is contained within the movable tube 20 of the transmitting station 1.

[0068] The controller 6 then controls the blower 5, causing the blower 5 to suck in the air inside the pneumatic tube 3 connected to the sending station 1. This generates an airflow from the sending station 1 toward the converter 4, and the article T is transported from the sending station 1 to the converter 4. At this time, the check valve 50 provided in the sending station 1 opens due to the negative pressure created inside the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20. In other words, the check valve 50 opening promotes the airflow from the sending station 1 toward the converter 4 to transport the article T.

[0069] Next, the controller 6 controls the diverter 4 to switch the transport path of the article T at the diverter 4 to the pneumatic tube 3 connected to the receiving station 2. The controller 6 also controls the drive unit 30 of the receiving station 2 to move the movable tube 20 to the extended position as shown in Figure 4(a). Note that the controller 6 may also control the drive unit 30 of the receiving station 2 to move the movable tube 20 to the extended position before the article T is transmitted by the transmitting station 1.

[0070] The controller 6 then controls the blower 5 to pressurize air into the pneumatic tube 3 connected from the diverter 4 to the receiving station 2. This generates an air flow from the diverter 4 toward the receiving station 2, and the article T is transported from the diverter 4 to the receiving station 2. At this time, the check valve 50 of the receiving station 2 is in a closed state. Therefore, at the receiving station 2, the article T can be gently landed on the surface of the article arrival position P2 (on the conveying surface 40a).

[0071] When the item T arrives at the receiving station 2 (item arrival position P2), the controller 6 controls the drive unit 30 of the receiving station 2 to move the movable tube 20 to the retracted position as shown in FIG. 4(b). The controller 6 then controls the conveying device 40 of the receiving station 2 to convey the item T that has arrived at the item arrival position P2 by the conveying device 40 of the receiving station 2. In this way, the controller 6 controls each part of the pneumatic tube system 100 to convey the item T from the sending station 1 to the receiving station 2 by airflow.

[0072] As described above, the transmitting station 1 is equipped with the movable tube 20 that can be reeled out from the guide tube 10. The drive unit 30 can move the movable tube 20 between an extended position where the length of the movable tube 20 that is reeled out from the guide tube 10 is long and a retracted position where the length of the movable tube 20 that is reeled out from the guide tube 10 is short. This extended position is a position where the guide tube 10 is reeled out so that the article T placed at the transmitting arrangement position P1 is accommodated within the tip of the movable tube 20. In other words, the transmitting station 1 can connect the transmitting arrangement position P1 and the pneumatic tube 3 by reeling out the movable tube 20, and can guide the article T placed at the transmitting arrangement position P1 to the pneumatic tube 3 via the movable tube 20 and the guide tube 10 by airflow. In this way, the transmitting station 1 can smoothly guide the article T from the transmitting arrangement position P1, where the article T is placed during transmission, to the pneumatic tube 3.

[0073] In the transmitting station 1, a transmitter seal 70 is provided in a gap K between the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner peripheral surface 10b of the guide tube 10. The large-diameter end 70a of the transmitter seal 70 is attached to the inner peripheral surface 10b of the guide tube 10 (the inner peripheral surface 12b of the seal holder 12). The small-diameter end 70b of the transmitter seal 70 is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 when no airflow is generated in the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20. This prevents wear on the transmitter seal 70 even when the transmitting station 1 moves the movable tube 20 between the extended position and the retracted position. Furthermore, when an airflow that creates negative pressure in the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 occurs, the small-diameter end 70b of the transmitter seal 70 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20, thereby obstructing the airflow in the inflow direction Y1. In other words, when an air flow for transporting the article T is generated, the transmitting-side seal 70 seals the gap K between the outer peripheral surface 20a and the inner peripheral surface 10b of the movable pipe 20. As a result, even when the transmitting station 1 is equipped with the movable pipe 20, the article T can be efficiently transported by the air flow.

[0074] The transmitting station 1 is equipped with a conveying device 40 that conveys the article T to the transmitting arrangement position P1. In this case, the transmitting station 1 can convey the article T to the transmitting arrangement position P1 by the conveying device 40. Then, the transmitting station 1 can guide the article T conveyed to the transmitting arrangement position P1 to the pneumatic tube 3 by extending the movable tube 20 to the extended position.

[0075] The receiving station 2 is equipped with a movable tube 20 that can be reeled out from the guide tube 10. The drive unit 30 can move the movable tube 20 between an extended position where the length of the movable tube 20 reeled out from the guide tube 10 is long and a retracted position where the length of the movable tube 20 reeled out from the guide tube 10 is short. This extended position is a position where the movable tube 20 is reeled out so as to guide the article T to the article arrival position P2, which is the arrival position of the article T transported by the airflow. In other words, the receiving station 2 can connect the pneumatic tube 3 and the article arrival position P2 by reeling out the movable tube 20, and can guide the article T from the pneumatic tube 3 to the article arrival position P2 via the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 by the airflow. In this way, the receiving station 2 can guide the article T from the pneumatic tube 3 to the article arrival position P2 without any hindrance.

[0076] In the receiving station 2, a receiving seal 80 is provided between the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable pipe 20 and the inner peripheral surface 10b of the guide pipe 10. The large-diameter end 80a of the receiving seal 80 is attached to the inner peripheral surface 10b of the guide pipe 10 (the inner peripheral surface 12b of the seal holder 12). The small-diameter end 80b of the receiving seal 80 is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable pipe 20. This allows the receiving station 2 to prevent wear on the receiving seal 80 even when the movable pipe 20 is moved between the extended position and the retracted position. Furthermore, when an airflow that creates a positive pressure inside the guide pipe 10 and the movable pipe 20 occurs, the small-diameter end 80b of the receiving seal 80 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable pipe 20, thereby obstructing the flow in the outflow direction Y2. In other words, when an air flow for transporting the article T is generated, the receiving side seal 80 seals the gap K between the outer peripheral surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner peripheral surface 10b of the guide tube 10. As a result, even when the receiving station 2 is equipped with the movable tube 20, the article T can be efficiently transported by the air flow.

[0077] The receiving station 2 is equipped with a conveying device 40 that conveys the item T that has arrived at the item arrival position P2 out of the item arrival position P2. In this case, the receiving station 2 can convey the item T that has been conveyed to the item arrival position P2 out of the item arrival position P2 by the conveying device 40. The drive unit 30 of the receiving station 2 moves the movable tube 20 to the extended position to guide the item T to the item arrival position P2, and after the item T arrives at the item arrival position P2, moves the movable tube 20 to the retracted position. This allows the conveying device 40 of the receiving station 2 to convey the item T that has arrived at the item arrival position P2 out of the item arrival position P2 without being obstructed by the movable tube 20.

[0078] In the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2, a check valve 50 is provided on the outer surface 20a of the movable pipe 20. In this case, when an air flow that creates negative pressure inside the guide pipe 10 and the movable pipe 20 occurs during the transmission of the article T, the transmitting station 1 can take in air into the movable pipe 20 through the check valve 50 of the transmitting station 1, thereby promoting the air flow that transports the article T. Also, in the receiving station 2, when an air flow that creates positive pressure inside the guide pipe 10 and the movable pipe 20 occurs during the reception of the article T, the check valve 50 of the receiving station 2 blocks the outflow of air to the outside of the movable pipe 20. This allows the receiving station 2 to prevent air from leaking out from the tip side of the movable pipe 20, allowing the article T to land gently on the surface of the article arrival position P2 (on the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40 of the receiving station 2).

[0079] In the transmitting station 1, the tip of the movable tube 20 may have a tapered shape with a diameter that increases toward the tip. In this case, when the movable tube 20 is unwound from the guide tube 10 and moved to the extended position during transmission of the article T, the transmitting station 1 can easily accommodate the article T within the movable tube 20 while allowing for positional deviation between the article T placed at the transmitting position P1 and the movable tube 20.

[0080] In the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2, a gasket 60 may be provided at the tip of the movable tube 20. In this case, when the transmitting station 1 moves the movable tube 20 to the extended position during transmission of the item T, the gasket 60 can seal the gap between the placement surface of the item T at the transmission position P1 (the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40 of the transmitting station 1) and the tip of the movable tube 20. Also, in the receiving station 2, when the movable tube 20 is moved to the extended position during reception of the item T, the gasket 60 can seal the gap between the placement surface of the item T at the item arrival position P2 (the conveying surface 40a of the conveying device 40 of the receiving station 2) and the tip of the movable tube 20. This allows the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2 to suppress air leakage from between the placement surface of the item T and the tip of the movable tube 20 during transmission or reception. Therefore, the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2 can efficiently transport the item T by airflow.

[0081] Pneumatic tube system 100 includes the above-mentioned transmitting station 1 and receiving station 2. As a result, in pneumatic tube system 100, as described above, the transmitting arrangement position P1 and pneumatic tube 3 can be connected by reeling out movable tube 20 of transmitting station 1, and the pneumatic tube 3 can be connected to article arrival position P2 by reeling out movable tube 20 of receiving station 2. As a result, pneumatic tube system 100 can smoothly guide article T from transmitting arrangement position P1, where article T is placed, to pneumatic tube 3 during transmission, and can smoothly guide article T from pneumatic tube 3 to article arrival position P2 during reception.

[0082] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, the sending station 1 and the receiving station 2 have the same configuration. Therefore, the sending station 1 can be used as a receiving station, and the receiving station 2 can be used as a sending station. In this way, there is no need to manufacture a station dedicated to sending and a station dedicated to receiving, and the sending station 1 and the receiving station 2 can be easily manufactured. Furthermore, as described above, the sending station 1 and the receiving station 2 have the same configuration. Therefore, the receiving station 2 may not only receive the item T, but also transmit the item T toward the sending station 1. The sending station 1 may not only transmit the item T, but also receive the item T transmitted from the receiving station 2. However, the sending station 1 may be configured as a sending-only station. In this case, the sending station 1 may not have the above-mentioned receiving-side seal 80. Similarly, the receiving station 2 may be configured as a receiving-only station. In this case, the receiving station 2 may not have the above-mentioned sending-side seal 70.

[0083] The transmitting station 1 may include a seal disposed between the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10, instead of the transmitting-side seal 70 and the receiving-side seal 80. This seal may be configured to obstruct the flow of air in the gap K between the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10. For example, this seal may be an O-ring attached to the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10 (the inner circumferential surface 12b of the seal holder 12), an O-ring attached to the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20, or a flow obstructing member having a labyrinth structure capable of suppressing the flow of air in the gap K. In this case, the seal can improve the airtightness between the inside of the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20 and the external space at the overlapping portion between the outer circumferential surface 20a of the movable tube 20 and the inner circumferential surface 10b of the guide tube 10. This allows the transmitting station 1 and the receiving station 2 to efficiently transport the article T by the airflow generated in the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20.

[0084] 5, the movable tube 20 of the receiving station 2 may have a tapered surface 20e, the inner circumferential surface 20b of the end 20d on the side inserted into the guide tube 10, that becomes larger in diameter toward the end 20d. In this case, when the receiving station 2 receives the article T, it can prevent the article T from getting caught on the end 20d of the movable tube 20 at the connection between the guide tube 10 and the movable tube 20, and can properly guide the article T into the movable tube 20.

[0085] At least some of the embodiments and various modified examples described above may be combined in any manner. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1...Transmitting station (station), 2...Receiving station (station), 3...Pneumatic tube, 5...Blower, 10...Guide tube, 10b...Inner surface, 20...Movable tube, 20a...Outer surface, 30...Drive unit, 40...Conveying device, 40a...Conveying surface, 50...Check valve, 60...Packing, 70...Transmitting side seal (seal), 70a...Large diameter end (first end), 70b...Small diameter end (second end), 80...Receiving side seal (seal), 80a...Large diameter end (first end), 80b...Small diameter end (second end), P1...Transmitting position, P2...Item arrival position, K...Gap, T...Item, Y1...Inflow direction, Y2...Outflow direction.

Claims

1. 1. A station for transmitting an article used in a pneumatic tube system that conveys an article by airflow along a pneumatic tube that serves as a conveying path, the station comprising: a guide tube connected to the pneumatic tube; a movable tube inserted inside the guide tube and movable along the guide tube; a drive unit that moves the movable tube along the guide tube; Equipped with the drive unit is capable of moving the movable tube between an extended position where the movable tube is extended from the guide tube and a retracted position where the extended length of the movable tube from the guide tube is shorter than that in the extended position, The extended position is a position at which the movable tube is unwound so as to accommodate the item positioned at a transmission position, which is a position at which the item is positioned when the item is transmitted by the air flow, within the movable tube.

2. a seal disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the movable tube and an inner circumferential surface of the guide tube by passing the movable tube through the cylindrical shape surrounding the axis, a first end portion, which is one end portion of the seal in the axial direction, having a larger diameter than a second end portion, which is the other end portion of the seal in the axial direction; when a direction from an external space through a gap between an outer peripheral surface of the movable pipe and an inner peripheral surface of the guide pipe to the inside of the guide pipe is defined as an inflow direction, the seal is oriented such that the second end portion is located upstream of the first end portion in the inflow direction, the first end is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the guide tube; When the airflow is not generated, the second end is spaced from the outer circumferential surface of the movable tube, The station described in claim 1, wherein the seal obstructs the flow of air in the inflow direction by abutting the second end against the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube when an air flow occurs that creates negative pressure inside the guide tube and the movable tube.

3. a transport device that transports the item to the transmission position; the transmitting position is set on a conveying surface of the conveying device; 2. The station according to claim 1, wherein the extended position is a position where the movable tube is unreeled so as to accommodate the article on the transport device that has been transported to the transmitting position within the movable tube.

4. 1. A station for receiving an object used in a pneumatic tube system that conveys an object by airflow along a pneumatic tube that serves as a conveying path, the station comprising: a guide tube connected to the pneumatic tube; a movable tube inserted inside the guide tube and movable along the guide tube; a drive unit that moves the movable tube along the guide tube; Equipped with the drive unit is capable of moving the movable tube between an extended position where the movable tube is extended from the guide tube and a retracted position where the extended length of the movable tube from the guide tube is shorter than that in the extended position, The extended position is a position at which the movable tube is unwound to guide the article to an article arrival position, which is an arrival position of the article transported by the air flow.

5. a seal disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the movable tube and an inner circumferential surface of the guide tube by passing the movable tube through the cylindrical shape surrounding the axis, a first end portion, which is one end portion of the seal in the axial direction, having a larger diameter than a second end portion, which is the other end portion of the seal in the axial direction; When a direction from inside the guide pipe through a gap between an outer peripheral surface of the movable pipe and an inner peripheral surface of the guide pipe to an external space is defined as an outflow direction, the seal is oriented such that the second end portion is located upstream of the first end portion in the outflow direction, the first end is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the guide tube; When the airflow is not generated, the second end is spaced from the outer circumferential surface of the movable tube, The station described in claim 4, wherein the seal obstructs the flow of air in the outflow direction by abutting the second end against the outer peripheral surface of the movable tube when an air flow occurs that creates positive pressure inside the guide tube and the movable tube.

6. Further, a transport device is provided to transport the item that has arrived at the item arrival position, the article arrival position is set on the conveying surface of the conveying device; The station according to claim 4 , wherein the extended position is a position where the movable tube is unwound so as to guide the article to the article arrival position set on the conveying surface.

7. The station of claim 1 or 4, further comprising a seal disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the movable tube and an inner circumferential surface of the guide tube.

8. A station according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a check valve is provided on the outer surface of the movable tube to allow air to flow into the movable tube and to block air from flowing out of the movable tube.

9. 4. The station according to claim 1, wherein the movable tube has a tapered tip portion in the direction of extension from the guide tube, the tip portion having a diameter that increases toward the tip side.

10. The station according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a packing is attached to the tip of the movable tube in the payout direction from the guide tube.

11. A station according to claim 1; A station according to claim 4; a pneumatic tube that connects the station according to claim 1 and the station according to claim 4 and serves as a transport path for articles; a blower connected to the pneumatic tube and configured to generate an air flow within the pneumatic tube; A pneumatic tube system comprising:

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