JP3423838B2 - Pneumatic element transfer method in pneumatic tube equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pneumatic carrier transfer method in pneumatic conduit equipment for transmitting and receiving a pneumatic carrier between a transmitting station and a receiving station via a pneumatic conduit .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional pneumatic tube facility, an air tube is inserted in a transmitting station and an air exhauster connected to the receiving station is driven to expel the air in the pneumatic tube to reduce the pressure in the transmitting station. It is designed to be activated by moving the air feeder as the difference between the pressure inside the air delivery tube and the pressure inside the air delivery tube gradually increases, but the station is in communication with the atmosphere and due to its internal structure, Since there is a gap between the air gaps and air flows through this gap, the pressure difference required to lift the air lead cannot be reached when the air lead is heavy, and the air lead cannot be started. .

Further, in the pneumatic tube equipment, the pneumatic tube, which is made to travel in the pneumatic tube by suction or pressure feeding of air and is used for carrying various articles, is provided with guide rings at a front part and a rear part of a cylindrical main body, Although guided by the guide ring along the inner wall of the pneumatic tube, the pneumatic element traveling inside the pneumatic tube often vibrates, sometimes causing an accident in which the vehicle cannot travel. Since the outer diameter of the guide ring must be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the pneumatic tube, air leaks through the gap created between the surface of the guide ring and the inner wall of the pneumatic tube. It is considered that one of the causes of the vibration is that a vortex is generated behind the guide ring. In order to prevent this vibration, attempts have been made to change the outer shape of the main body of the pneumatic feeder, change the position of the center of gravity of the pneumatic feeder, and change the material of the guide ring, but still properly suppress the vibration. No means have been found.

Further, while the pneumatic feeder is traveling inside the pneumatic feeding tube, it may be unable to run for some reason and the pneumatic feeding tube may fall into a closed state. In this case, the clogged pneumatic feeding element is quickly removed. If it is not, it is not possible to carry the air carrier after the operation. To do so, you must first know where the pneumatic carrier is clogged. Conventionally, there is a method of introducing the wire from the inspection port of the pneumatic tube and measuring the length to know the closed position, but this method is extremely troublesome,
Further, in a pneumatic tube facility that handles radioactive substances, it is dangerous to approach the pneumatic tube itself, and such a method cannot be used. A method of sending a sounding body (for example, an electronic buzzer) to a closed position and listening to the sound emitted by the sounding body may be considered, but the sound is transmitted to the outside of the air carrying tube through the air carrying tube wall. It is very small, very difficult to hear with the human ear, and requires an additional amplification device.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve the operating efficiency of pneumatic tube equipment, and its first object is to increase the maximum transport weight of the pneumatic carrier.

The present invention also provides a pneumatic carrier in a pneumatic pipe facility.
In the transfer method, the pneumatic element traveling inside the pneumatic tube will not vibrate.
Operation efficiency of pneumatic tube equipment
Is to raise .

The present invention also provides a pneumatic carrier in a pneumatic pipe facility.
In the transfer method, the pneumatic element traveling inside the pneumatic tube is blocked.
In this state, it is possible to detect the closed position of the pneumatic tube easily and without approaching the pneumatic tube.
To increase the operating efficiency of the pneumatic tube equipment .

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned first problem, in the present invention, an air feeding pipe facility having a transmitting station at one end, a receiving station at the other end, and an air feeding pipe between both stations. In, the transmitter station is connected to the atmosphere through a valve, the receiver station is connected to the exhaust fan, the exhaust fan is started with the valve of the transmitter station closed, and then the valve is opened to connect the transmitter station to the atmosphere. , Send the air-train of the transmitting station.

In order to solve the above-mentioned first problem, in the present invention, a transmitting station is provided in an air feeding pipe facility having a transmitting station at one end, a receiving station at the other end, and an air feeding pipe between both stations. Connecting the atmosphere via the first valve, connecting the receiving station to the blower via the second valve, starting the blower with the first valve closed and the second valve open, then The first valve is opened to allow the transmitting station to communicate with the atmosphere, and the transmitting station's pneumatic probe is emitted.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned second problem, in the present invention, a groove extending in the carrying direction is provided in at least one of the guide rings provided in the front part and the rear part of the cylindrical main body. Further, a plurality of grooves extending in the transport direction may be evenly provided in the circumferential direction of the guide ring on at least one of the guide rings provided on the front and rear portions of the tubular main body. Further, a plurality of grooves extending in the transport direction are evenly provided in the guide ring provided on the front and rear portions of the tubular main body, respectively, in the circumferential direction of the guide ring, and a part of the groove provided on the front guide ring and the rear portion are provided. A part of the groove provided in the guide ring may be arranged in a line in the axial direction of the air carrier.

In order to solve the above-mentioned second problem, in the present invention, a soft material is provided on the surfaces of the guide rings provided on the front and rear portions of the tubular main body. It is advantageous to use polyurethane rubber or vinyl tape as the soft material.

Further, in order to solve the above second problem,
In the present invention, the tops of the guide rings provided at the front and rear of the tubular body are rounded in the carrying direction.

In order to solve the above-mentioned third problem, in the present invention, the vibration motor and the power source are inserted into the cylindrical main body forming the pneumatic feeder, and the vibration motor is mounted on the inner wall of the cylindrical main body. It is fixed so that the vibration motor and the power supply can be connected.

According to the method for solving the first object of the present invention, the air blower is activated by activating the exhaust fan with the valve of the transmitting station side closed and thus with the transmitting station shut off from the atmosphere. The pressure inside the pipe drops rapidly, but in this state, by opening the valve on the transmitting station side and connecting the transmitting station to the atmosphere, atmospheric pressure is applied as an impact force to the air carrier, and the atmospheric pressure and the low pressure in the air pipe are reduced. Due to the large differential pressure of, the air carrier is greatly accelerated and activated.

According to the method of forming the groove in the pneumatic carrier of the present invention,
As the air carrier travels, air flows along the surface of the main body, along the grooves formed in the guide ring at the position of the guide ring, and again along the surface of the main body behind the guide ring. Flow and generate almost no vortex behind the guide ring.

According to the method of providing the soft material for the pneumatic carrier of the present invention, when vibration occurs during traveling in the pneumatic conduit, the energy of the vibration is immediately absorbed by the soft material on the surface of the guide ring of the pneumatic carrier. Then the vibration stops.

According to the method of forming the radius on the air carrier of the present invention
In this case, the guide ring makes a line contact with the inside of the air feeding pipe and does not vibrate because the radius is attached to the portion in contact with the inner wall of the air feeding pipe.

According to the method of using the obstruction detecting pneumatic feeder of the present invention, the vibrating motor is connected to the power source to cause the vibrating motor to vibrate, and the obstructing state is closed. When it is fed into the air feeding tube at, the air feeding element for detection collides with the clogged air feeding element and stops. At this stop position, the vibrating pneumatic element repeatedly hits the pneumatic conduit, generating a direct impact sound outside the pneumatic conduit wall, and occluding the sound with a sound that can be heard directly by the human ear. Let me know.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a structural layout view of an embodiment for solving the first problem of the present invention, in which 1 is a transmitting station, 2 is a receiving station, and 3 is a pneumatic transport disposed between a transmitting station 1 and a receiving station 2. A pipe 4 is a valve connected to the transmitting station 1 and communicating with the atmosphere. Reference numeral 5 is an air exhauster connected to the receiving station 2. When starting, valve 4 first
When the air blower 5 is driven with the valve closed, the air in the air feeding pipe 3 is sucked and the pressure in the air feeding pipe 3 is rapidly reduced. Therefore, the pressure in the transmitting station 1 also decreases. When the valve 4 is opened when the pressure in the pneumatic tube 3 drops below a predetermined value, the transmitting station 1 communicates with the atmosphere 6 and the transmitting station 1
Atmospheric pressure P ₁ is applied to. Low pressure P ₂ in this pneumatic tube 3
Since the differential pressure between the pressure and the atmospheric pressure P ₁ acts as a kind of impact force on the pneumatic feeder 7 in the transmitting station 1, the pneumatic feeder 7 is suddenly pushed out of the transmitting station 1 into the pneumatic tube 3.

FIG. 2 is a layout view of another embodiment corresponding to the first problem of the present invention, and the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment the receiving station 2 has a valve 8
It is connected to the exhaust fan 5 via. When starting up,
First, when the exhaust fan 5 is driven with the valve 4 closed and the valve 7 opened, the pressure inside the pneumatic tube 3 decreases as in the case of FIG. 1, so that when the pressure falls below a predetermined value. When the valve 4 is opened, the differential pressure between the atmospheric pressure P ₁ and the low pressure P ₂ in the pneumatic tube 3 is applied to the pneumatic tube 7 in the transmitting station 1, and the pneumatic tube 7 is accelerated and the pneumatic tube 3 is accelerated. It is pushed inside. This embodiment is advantageous for use when a plurality of air pipes are connected in parallel to one exhaust fan.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment corresponding to the second object of the present invention, in which a is a front view, b is a left side view and c is a right side view. Reference numeral 31 is a cylindrical, for example, cylindrical air-conveyor main body, and the front portion is formed in a truncated cone shape. Reference numeral 32 is a front guide ring, and 33 is a rear guide ring, which are formed on the outer surface of the main body 31 as a ring having an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the main body. A groove 34 is provided in the front guide ring 32, and this groove 34 is in the conveying direction of the pneumatic element, that is, the main body 3
6 extends in parallel to the axis 35 of No. 1 and is evenly formed in the circumferential direction of the guide ring 32. As is clear from FIG. C, it is concave so that it almost reaches the outer surface of the main body 31, for example, an arc shape. It is formed in the shape.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment corresponding to the second object of the present invention, showing another embodiment which is partially different from FIG. 3, in which a is a front view, b is a left side view and c is a right side. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the front guide ring 32 is provided with 6 grooves 34 evenly as in FIG. 3, and the rear guide ring 33 is provided with 4 grooves 41 evenly. A pair of grooves 32 on one diameter and a pair of grooves 32 on the rear guide ring 33 are arranged in a line in the direction parallel to the axis 35 of the main body 31.

The number of grooves is arbitrary, but if it is too large, the amount of air flowing through the grooves increases, the pressure difference between the front and the rear of the main body decreases, and the suction force or pumping force of air decreases, which is not preferable. Usually, about several are preferable.

Although the main body of the pneumatic feeder can be made of various materials, for example, high-density polyethylene is preferable in terms of impact resistance against the inner wall of the pneumatic tube, abrasion resistance, and light weight.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of another embodiment corresponding to the second object of the present invention. Reference numeral 51 is a cylindrical, for example, cylindrical air-conveyor main body, and the front portion is formed in a truncated cone shape. Reference numeral 52 is a front guide ring, and 53 is a rear guide ring, which is formed on the outer surface of the main body 51 as a ring having an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the main body. Therefore, the grooves 54 and 5 are formed in the circumferential direction.
5 is formed. Rings 56 and 57 made of polyurethane rubber are fitted into the grooves 54 and 55 as soft materials,
The surfaces of the rings 56 and 57 are adapted to come into contact with the inner wall of the pneumatic tube when traveling in the pneumatic tube.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment corresponding to the second object of the present invention, showing a sectional view of another embodiment partially different from FIG.
The same parts as those in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals. This embodiment is different from FIG. 5 in that the soft material provided in the grooves 54, 55 of the guide rings 52, 53 is formed of vinyl tape laminated bodies 61, 62.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of another embodiment corresponding to the second object of the present invention. Reference numeral 71 denotes a cylindrical, for example, cylindrical air-conveyor main body, and the front portion is formed in a truncated cone shape. A front guide ring 72 and a rear guide ring 73 are formed on the outer surface of the main body 71 as a ring having an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the main body. The tops of both guide rings 72, 73 are provided with rounded corners 74, 75 having an appropriate radius of curvature in the conveying direction, that is, in the longitudinal axis direction of the main body 71, and do not make surface contact with the inner wall 76 of the pneumatic tube shown by the alternate long and short dash line. It comes in contact.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an embodiment corresponding to the third problem of the present invention. The main body 81 is formed in a cylindrical shape similar to that of an ordinary pneumatic carrier, and has a front portion and a rear portion. Guide ring 8
2, 83 are provided and can be closed by a lid 84. Inside the main body 81, a vibration motor 86 and a power supply, for example, a battery 87 are fixed on a support plate 85 stretched between the inner walls of the main body 81, and a terminal 88 of the vibration motor 86 has a battery 87.
The terminal wire 89 and the connector 810 can be connected.

As the vibration motor, a commercially available one can be used. FIG. 9 shows an example of the vibration motor, which is a DC motor in which a semi-cylindrical rotor 92 is inserted in a cylindrical ring-shaped stator 91. Vibration is caused by the non-rotational symmetry of the rotor.

Next, referring to FIG. 10, a method of using the detection air carrier of FIG. 8 will be described. Reference numeral 101 is a pneumatic tube, 102 is a transmitting station, 103 is a receiving station, and 104 is a blower. Now, assume that the pneumatic feeder 105 sent from the transmitting station 102 is stopped at a position 106 in the middle of the pneumatic feeding tube 101 and is in a closed state. Therefore, the air carrier for detection shown in FIG. 8 is prepared, the lid 84 is opened, the terminal 88 of the vibration motor 86 is connected to the terminal wire 89 of the battery 87 by the connector 810, and the vibration motor 86 is set in a vibrating state. Then
It is sent from the transmitting station 102 into the pneumatic tube 101. The detection air carrier 107 hits the air carrier 105 at the closed position 106 and stops. Since the vibration motor in the detection pneumatic feeder 107 continues to vibrate, the collision sound between the vibrating pneumatic feeder and the inner surface of the conduit is propagated from the outer surface of the pneumatic tube 101 to the outside world, and the operator You can hear it and know the blockage immediately.

In the above-mentioned example, the vibration motor is fixed to the inner wall of the main body through the support plate, but it may be directly fixed to the inner wall of the main body.

[0033]

According to the present invention, the operating efficiency of the carrier equipment can be further improved from various aspects by the following effects.

(1) By utilizing the valve originally provided in the transmitting / receiving station, a large air pressure for lifting the pneumatic carrier can be obtained without adding a device, thereby increasing the maximum carrying weight of the pneumatic carrier. be able to.

(2) When the pneumatic feeder is made to travel by suction or pressure feeding in the pneumatic feeder tube, vibration does not occur in the pneumatic feeder, and it is possible to prevent an accident such as inability to convey the pneumatic feeder due to vibration. .

(3) Since the sound generated by the pneumatic tube due to the vibration of the vibration motor is used as the detection medium, it can be clearly perceived by the human ear even from a distance,
Since the equipment of the pneumatic tube is also used for detection, auxiliary equipment for detection is not required, and it can be safely used even when handling dangerous substances such as radioactive substances.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural layout view of an embodiment of a pneumatic pipe facility used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural layout view of another embodiment of the pneumatic tube equipment used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view, b is a left side view, and c is a right side view of an embodiment of an air carrier used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view, b is a left side view, and c is a right side view of an embodiment of an air carrier used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an example of an air carrier used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an example of an air carrier used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view of an example of an air carrier used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a pneumatic tube obstruction detecting pneumatic probe used in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a pneumatic probe for detecting a pneumatic tube blockage used in the method of the present invention.
3 is a side view of an example of the vibration motor of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the operation of a pneumatic tube obstruction detecting pneumatic tube used in the method of the present invention.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Yoshikazu Matsubayashi Yoshikazu Matsubayashi 8 Shinsita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Toshiba Corporation Yokohama Works (72) Toshiyuki Kanamori 4845 Mishima-shi, Shizuoka Toray Engineer Ring Co., Ltd. 72) Inventor Mitsuru Otsuka 1-1-1, Sonoyama, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture Toray Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yutaka Kusunoki 2-11-20 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Siemens Co., Ltd. (56) References Actual development Sho 60-23134 (JP, U) Actual public Sho 44-22687 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 51/04-51/46

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pneumatic tube facility having a transmitting station at one end and a receiving station at the other end, and an pneumatic tube between both stations, wherein the transmitting station is connected to the atmosphere through a valve and the receiving station is connected to the atmosphere. connected to exhaust fan, activating the air blower in a state of closing the valve, then
In, to transfer the pneumatic tube carrier of the transmitting station to the receiving station side the transmitting station by opening the valve at the impact of the pressure difference caused by Rukoto allowed <br/> communicates with the atmosphere
Pneumatic tube carrier transport how <br/> method in a pneumatic tube equipment, characterized in that that. 2. A pneumatic tube facility having a transmitting station at one end, a receiving station at the other end, and an pneumatic tube between both stations, wherein the transmitting station is connected to the atmosphere through a valve and the receiving station is connected to the atmosphere. , Connect to the blower through the valve and close the valve of the transmitting station
And with the valve of the receiving station open
Start the air blower, then in, of the transmitting station
Caused by Rukoto allowed to communicate with the atmosphere by opening the valve
The air pressure of the transmitting station is received by the impact force of the differential pressure.
A method for transferring an air carrier in an air pipe facility, characterized in that the air carrier is transferred to a receiving station side . 3. The pneumatic tube facility according to claim 1 or 2.
In the method for transferring an air carrier, the air carrier forms guide rings on a front part and a rear part of a cylindrical main body , and
In the pneumatic tube facility , a groove extending in the longitudinal axis direction of the main body is provided on either one of the guide rings.
The method of transporting air carriers in Japan . 4. The air in the pneumatic pipe facility according to claim 3.
In the feeder transfer method, a plurality of the grooves are evenly provided in the circumferential direction of the guide ring, and the pointer transfer method in the feeder tube equipment. 5. The pneumatic tube facility according to claim 1 or 2.
In the method of transferring a pneumatic carrier, the pneumatic carrier is a cylindrical book.
Forming guide rings on the front and back of the body,
The guide ring has a groove extending in the longitudinal direction of the body.
Pneumatic tube carrier moved in a pneumatic tube equipment, characterized in that has only been
How to send . 6. The air in the pneumatic tube facility according to claim 5.
In Okuko transfer method, a plurality of said grooves, said evenly provided in the circumferential direction of the guide ring, is and provided in a part and the rear part of the guide ring of the groove provided in the front portion of the guide ring In addition, a part of the groove is arranged in a line in the longitudinal axis direction .
A method for transporting an air carrier . 7. The pneumatic tube facility according to claim 1 or 2.
In the method for transferring an air carrier, the air carrier forms guide rings on a front part and a rear part of a cylindrical main body , and
A pneumatic carrier transfer method in a pneumatic tube facility, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the guide ring is formed of a soft material . 8. The air in the pneumatic tube facility according to claim 7.
In the child transfer method, the soft material is polyurethane or
Put the pneumatic tube facility, which is a vinyl tape
Air transfer method . 9. The gas according to any one of claims 3 to 8.
In the method of transferring an air carrier in a pipe feeding facility, the
A method for transferring a pneumatic child in an pneumatic tube facility, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the dring is formed into a convex rounded surface . 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
In the pneumatic transfer method in pneumatic tube equipment, the reception
The pneumatic element transferred to the station is the pneumatic tube.
When the pneumatic tube is blocked by stopping at an intermediate position
From the transmitting station into the pneumatic tube
The air tube for detecting the blockage of the air tube is enclosed in the cylindrical body.
It is equipped with a vibration motor and a power supply.
Pneumatic transfer method in pipe equipment .