Conveyors: fluid current – Carrier – Having end opening
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-06-26
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: fluid current
Carrier
Having end opening
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250853
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carrier for a pneumatic tube transport system. More particularly this invention concerns such a carrier usable to transport liquids under hermetic conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A standard pneumatic tube transport system uses carriers each formed as a rigid sleeve whose ends are provided with collars having guide rings that ride on the inside surface of the transport tube and with at least one membrane-type annular seal engaging the tube inner surface so air pressure can move the carrier along the tube without blowing past the carrier. The carrier has one end that is closed and an opposite end that is provided with an openable cover. Such devices can be used for transporting documents, samples, or virtually any small object that must be moved through rapidly between fixed locations. The standard carrier cover displaceable pivotally between a closed position engaged over the sleeve end and an open position offset from it, normally pivoting about an axis parallel to the axis of the sleeve as described in German 297 08 204.
In a particularly common application, such a system is used in a hospital to transport blood samples, biopsy specimens, and the accompanying paperwork between the patient floors, operating theaters, and laboratories. Accordingly a carrier is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,974 which splits along a plane including the sleeve axis into two halves and that can be solidly closed together. This system reduces the possible leakage of biohazards into the tubing of the transport system. It is, however, fairly complex and expensive and is mainly aimed at cushioning the contents of the carrier so that, if they do leak, the contents can get out of the carrier into the tubing system where they not only present the possibility of spreading disease, for instance a long-lived staphylococcus infection, but also can create a sticky mess that can cause the carriers to get stuck in the tube. Cleaning and disinfecting a contaminated tube is a complex job that entails considerable downtime for the critical system.
When the carriers are made particularly tight, as for instance with special closures or screw tops, they become difficult to open. The longitudinally subdivided system of above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,947 requires two hands to open and must be wholly pulled out of the tube before it can be opened. These systems are frequently setup so that when the carriers come to rest their ends merely project out of the tube docking station with the idea that the tube can be opened with one hand, something that is impossible with the prior-art tight-seal carriers.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved carrier for a pneumatic tube transport system.
Another object is the provision of such an improved carrier for a pneumatic tube transport system which overcomes the above-given disadvantages, that is which seals tightly, but that if easy to open and close.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A carrier for a pneumatic tube transport system has according to the invention a rigid sleeve centered on an axis and having an axially open end, a collar coaxially surrounding the sleeve and formed with a radially inwardly directed edge, and a cover fittable axially over the sleeve in a closed position axially closing the sleeve end and formed with a radially outwardly directed edge closely juxtaposed with the collar edge in the closed position. A pivot defines a pivot axis parallel to the sleeve axis for pivoting of the cover about the pivot axis between the closed position and an open position angularly offset therefrom and unblocking the sleeve end. A compressible seal ring is engaged between the cover and the ring and seals between the cover and the ring in the closed position. In accordance with the invention a tab projecting generally perpendicular to the sleeve axis on one of the edges engages in a recess open generally perpendicular to the sleeve axis on the other of the edges receiving the tab in the closed position of the cover so that when the tab is engaged in the recess the cover is blocked against axial movement on the sleeve.
With this system the cover can swivel as is conventional, but is solidly held in place axially against the collar by the interfitting tab and recess. Thus it is axially secured in a position where the seal is effective so that, even if a liquid-filled vial inside the carrier breaks, its contents will not leak out of the carrier. The seal would be ineffective all by itself, but in combination with the axial-retaining tabs, the seal maintains the carrier hermetically closed even under the extreme acceleration and deceleration conditions it is subjected to.
According to the invention the one edge has a plurality, of the tabs and the other edge has a complementary plurality of the recesses. This is most effectively done when the cover has an axially projecting generally semicylindrical projection centered on the sleeve axis and forming a second cover edge separate from the first-mentioned cover edge and the collar has an axially oppositely projecting generally semicylindrical projection centered on the sleeve axis, forming the collar edge, and meeting the cover projection along a line generally diametral of the sleeve axis and including the pivot axis. Such a carrier further has a second tab projecting generally perpendicular to the sleeve axis on one of the second edges and a second recess open generally perpendicular to the sleeve axis on the other of the second edges. The result is an extremely effective axial locking of the cover on the collar.
The cover according to the invention is limitedly axially displaceable relative to the sleeve. To this end the carrier further has a spring braced between the cover and the collar axially urging the cover toward the collar and cams for forcing the cover axially away from the collar on displacement of the cover out of the closed position. The cams includes a pair of cam formations symmetrically flanking the pivot axis.
The seal ring according to the invention can be recessed axially in the collar and the cover can have an annular ridge axially engaging the seal ring in the closed position. In this case the seal ring has a sheet-metal core ring surrounded by a mass of elastomer and has a flexible lip engageable with the cover ridge and a plurality of radially projecting tabs set in the collar. Furthermore the collar has radially throughgoing slots receiving the tabs of the seal ring and the carrier further has an identifying ring engaged around the collar at the slots and having inwardly projecting tabs engaged in the slots. Alternately the seal can be mounted on the cover and axially engageable with an edge of the collar.
The collar in accordance with the invention is formed with radially inwardly directed L-shaped grooves and the sleeve is formed with radially outwardly projecting bumps engaged in the grooves and locking the collar bayonet-fashion to the sleeve. Furthermore for locking purposes the collar is formed with an undercut axially outwardly open blind bore adapted to receive a miniature lock and the cover is formed with an axially throughgoing hole aligned with the bore in the closed position. For tagging purposes the cover is formed with a tag-receiving recess open axially outward and with a radially open slot communicating with the tag recess. The recess are T-shaped.
REFERENCES:
patent: 657076 (1900-09-01), Batcheller
patent: 3323755 (1967-06-01), Voital et al.
patent: 3788577 (1974-01-01), Barnett et al.
patent: 4362443 (1982-12-01), Mallory et al.
patent: 4111492 (1992-10-01), None
Dillon, Jr. Joe
Ellis Christopher P.
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