440 results about "Pneumatic tube" patented technology

A monitoring system for monitoring inflation pressure within an inflatable cushion. The monitoring system includes a housing, a pneumatic tube, a locking adaptor and a sensing and signaling system. The pneumatic tube extends through the housing with the locking adaptor attached to the distal end of the pneumatic tube. The locking adaptor is effective for releasably and sealingly attaching the pneumatic tube to a stem valve on an inflatable cushion. The sensing and signaling is retained within the housing and includes at least a pressure sensor in pneumatic communication with the pneumatic tube proximate a proximal end of the pneumatic tube, and a means in communication with the pressure sensor for generating a perceptible signal when the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor falls below a predetermined threshold value.

An ice maker comprising a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The control system includes an air fitting disposed in the sump of the water system, a pneumatic tube, and a controller comprising a processor and an air pressure sensor. The air fitting defines a chamber in which air may be trapped and includes openings through which water in the sump is in fluid communication with the air in the chamber. The pneumatic tube is in fluid communication with the air pressure sensor and the air fitting. The air pressure sensor is adapted to sense a pressure corresponding to a sump water level. The controller is adapted to control the operation of the refrigeration system and the operation of the water system based upon the sump water level and to detect one or more failure modes of the water system based upon the sump water level.

An air powered storage device is provided that is operative to temporarily store pneumatic carriers within a pneumatic carrier system. Generally, the device includes a pneumatic tube that is sized to permit the passage of pneumatic carriers. A gate member is selectively positionable into and out of an internal bore of the pneumatic tube to impede movement of pneumatic carriers there through. The device further includes a blower having a first fluid inlet disposed on a first side of the gate member and a fluid outlet disposed on a second side of the gate member. The fluid inlet and outlet are fluidly interconnected to the internal bore of the pneumatic tube such that the blower is selectively operable to generate a fluid flow through the internal bore between the fluid outlet and the fluid inlet. Such fluid flow may be utilized to reinitiate movement of a stopped carrier.

This invention is a pneumatic mass transportation system on the cutting edge of technology employing a combined cycle turbine power system with digital controls to effect acceleration, deceleration and train propulsion. The combustion turbines can be adapted to use alternative fuels including bio fuels as they are developed. The heat recover steam generator will recycle the hot exhaust gasses from the turbines to generate electricity to be used by the system. The multi-car train is propelled by differential air pressure forward and aft of the vehicle in the pneumatic tube. Air propulsion is achieved by large in-tube impellers driven by the turbines. A digital control system will operate the pitch of the impeller blades and the vacuum/pressure release valves in the tubes to produce full movement control of the trains.

A passive collection and pneumatic lifting system located in a well comprising a pneumatic tube, a fluid tube mounted within the pneumatic tube creating an annulus and a jet barrel chamber formed between the pneumatic tube and fluid tube in fluid communication at the zone to be recovered. A valve in the jet barrel in communication with the jet barrel and the zone to be recovered for allowing passive flow of product to be recovered into the jet barrel for collection therein and for closing upon the introduction of pneumatic fluid pressure by a pneumatic pressure generator to generate pneumatic fluid pressure sufficient to drive the product collected in the jet barrel up hole for recovery. A seal is located below the valve for sealing the product zone in the well from flow except through the valve.

The invention discloses an anti-plugging device of a constructed wetland. The anti-plugging device is characterized by comprising a water collection area substrate and a wetland substrate which are distributed in a vertical current constructed wetland from down to up, wherein wetland plants are grown on the wetland substrate; a pneumatic tube is installed in the wetland substrate; the horizontal section of the wetland substrate faces downwardly and provided with an aeration branch pipe in parallel; the end head of the aeration branch pipe is provided with an aeration head, and the aeration head is located in the middle of the wetland in a vertical direction; one end of the pneumatic tube extending out of the wetland substrate is connected with a gas pump and provided with a valve; and the water collection area substrate is made of gravel, and the wetland substrate is made of coarse sand. The air passes through the pneumatic tube by the gas pump and then is output from the aeration branch pipe and the aeration head, so that the convention current is formed between the air and downlink flooding water so as to impact substrate particles, thereby improving effective porosity, inhibiting blockage and ensuring aerobic environment required by activity of wetland microorganisms.

The present invention relates to pneumatic tube systems generally. More specifically, it relates to an automated system for the storage and distribution of empty carriers for a pneumatic tube system. The system comprises an easy to use one-touch process and includes the following apparatus: storage cabinets and pneumatic tube system comprising a blower, controller, retrieval cabinets, and main station. According to the invention there is provided an automated storage and distribution system comprising a pneumatic tube system; a first diverter with blower, and a storage cabinet with a second diverter. The system comprises several methods which are currently in the market place, and is useful in many places, such as hospitals, where the automated processing of pharmaceutical products via robot devices is used. Such a system is disclosed in co-pending application Parenteral Products Automation System (PPAS), application Ser. No. 08/513,569.

A system for carrying out transactions includes customer stations (118) and ATM stations (120) and a service provider station (114). The service provider station and customer stations are operated in a building (116) or other facility in which a service provider operates the service provider station in a secure room. Audio and video communications are established between the service provider and customers at the customer stations and ATM stations. Items can be exchanged between customer station customers and the service provider through carriers (26) transmitted through a pneumatic tube system (22). A video material presentation device (50) provides promotional or other video material which may be presented on displays at the customer stations. The video material may be presented to customers when the customer terminal is not in communication with the service provider terminal.

A pneumatic tube that is secured to the bow and bowstring with an arrow and piston inside for safe drawing and firing of an archery bow. When the archer looses the string and it drives the arrow forward, the piston creates pneumatic air resistance like a hand operated bicycle pump. This resistance is sufficient to prevent damage to the bow and/or its components from loosing the string without an actual arrow on the string. Normal loosing the string without an arrow on it is called “dry-firing” and would damage the bow and/or its components. This tube is attached to a bracket that is affixed to a mounting block that can be fastened to the front of the bow at the standard stabilizer mounting hole. There is also a laser mounted in the end of the tube, which can be turned on by the archer and projects a laser light on the target. This light is automatically turned off as the bow is fired, thus showing the archer exactly where an actual arrow would have hit. This device can be used without removing or disabling the arrow rest and is used in practice and to identify and then rectify any release flaws and other shooting maladies.

An eductor assembly is adapted for seed delivery and is designed to reduce or eliminate clogs. The eductor uses a compartment comprising a feed section into which falls seed from a primary storage hopper. A primary pneumatic tube runs through the compartment and continues on to delivery sites such as secondary hoppers which feed the seed to singulators. A secondary pneumatic tube branches from the primary tube and opens into the compartment generally below the primary tube, pressurizing the compartment and creating turbulence sufficient to prevent seed from packing. An eductor tube is mounted within the compartment and has an open, lower end that extends from adjacent the termination of the secondary pneumatic tube so that seed accumulating in the compartment is drawn through the eductor. The eductor tube at its upper end extends into the primary pneumatic tube and has an outlet end positioned so as to form a constriction in the first pneumatic line to create a venturi to draw seed through the eductor tube. Any clogs that occur at the constriction in the primary pneumatic tube are relieved by a concurrent increase in air pressure and flow rate through the secondary pneumatic tube to urge seed through the eductor and break the clog. Additionally, the turbulent mixing of the seed in the eductor compartment inhibits packing, bridging and clogging of the seed.

A carrier apparatus is provided for transport through a pneumatic tube delivery system. The carrier apparatus comprises a housing contoured with forward and aft portions and an axially extended body portion disposed therebetween. The housing includes at least first and second separable sections enclosing a carrying compartment. At least a pair of retaining assemblies are detachably coupled to the housing, with each retaining assembly encircling the housing's body portion to couple the first and second housing sections for angular displacement one relative to the other between open and closed configurations. Each of the retaining assemblies includes a glide band portion disposed to protrude radially from the housing in the closed configuration for slidably engaging an inner wall surface of a pneumatic delivery tube. At least one latch assembly is coupled to releasably lock the housing sections in the closed configuration.

The invention relates to a device for dealing and displaying playing cards. The device is capable of dealing playing cards in a fully-automatic way and saving labor force, and is high in credibility in playing card games. The device is mainly characterized in that a machine table with a shuffle machine unit and an identifier unit is provided with a playing card taking unit, the playing card taking unit is so configured that a fixed seat is provided with a motor, a belt and a sliding seat, and the sliding seat is further provided with a motor, an inner swing arm, integrated upper and lower swing arms, a pneumatic tube and a sucking disc. The device of the invention can take out playing cards automatically, identify patterns and values of the playing cards and display the playing cards, thereby achieving the effects of dealing playing cards without any manual work, simulating manual playing cards display and avoiding cheating doubts as the playing cards are not in contact with human hands.

A pneumatic dexterous hand of robot is composed of a palm, 5 fingers with 3 joints and 4 freedoms for each finger, a wrist interface with 2 freedoms, and a leading trunk on the palm back and used for 25 pneumatic tubes of 5 fingers.

A pneumatic transport system including a user terminal at a service provider station having a movable member operably connected with a flexible drive member. The drive member moves within at least one side rail to vertically displace the movable member to permit access to a carrier at the user terminal. The user terminal includes control mechanisms on opposite sides of a base to enable two users to operate and access the carrier at the user terminal.

A pneumatic tube delivery system and method for simultaneously transporting pneumatic carriers across a plurality of sending and receiving stations connected via pneumatic tubing and diverters. The plurality of sending and receiving stations each comprises a pneumatic device to coordinate and direct the transportation of carriers through vacuum or pressure throughout the pneumatic tube system. One or more diverters in the pneumatic tube system may also comprise a pneumatic device for transporting carriers between two diverters. Each pneumatic device is only responsible for transporting a carrier though a single pneumatic tube sector within the system, enabling the pneumatic tube sectors to operate independently from one another. Accordingly, two or more carriers can be simultaneously transported within the pneumatic tube system. The diverter of the present invention for diverting carriers between pneumatic tube sectors may comprise at least one robotic arm connected to a movable tube for retaining the carrier and shifting the carrier within the diverter.

A system for carrying out transactions (10) includes customer stations (18) and a service provider station (14). The system is operated in a building (12) or other facility in which a service provider operates the service provider station in a secure room (36). Audio and video communications are established between customers at the customer stations and the service provider at the service provider station. Items are exchanged between customers and the service provider through carriers (26) transmitted through a pneumatic tube system (22). A video material presentation device (50) provides promotional or other video material which is presented on displays at the customer stations. Video material is presented to customers when the customer terminal is not in communication with the service provider terminal. The customer stations are readily installed and configured in the transaction facility to maximize the floor space available for other purposes.