The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2018

Filed:

Nov. 19, 2015
Applicant:

Nextern Inc., Saint Paul, MN (US);

Inventors:

Ryan Douglas, Stillwater, MN (US);

Casey Carlson, Independence, MN (US);

Dennis Berke, River Falls, MN (US);

Ken Vojacek, Fridley, MN (US);

Assignee:

Nextern, Inc., White Bear Lake, MN (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F15B 13/08 (2006.01); F16K 11/20 (2006.01); F04B 49/10 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
F04B 49/106 (2013.01); F15B 13/0814 (2013.01); Y10T 137/877 (2015.04); Y10T 137/87877 (2015.04);
Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a pneumatic distribution system having pneumatic pump that exhausts into a common plenum that is in fluid communication with a plurality of flow controllers. In an illustrative embodiment, a system controller may coordinate the operation of the one or more pneumatic pumps and the plurality of flow controllers to provide air pressure control to a system of pneumatic chambers. In some embodiments, one of the plurality of flow controllers may be configured to provide fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere so as to permit a fluid path from a pneumatic chamber connected to another flow controller to the ambient atmosphere via both flow controllers and the common plenum. In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller may advantageously control the air pressures in a plurality of pneumatic chambers independently of one another using coordinated control of the pump and flow controllers.


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