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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 18, 2020
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2019
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Robert Erik Grip, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Mark A. DeHaan, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
John C. Vassberg, Long Beach, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A modular tube volume reduction assembly for use at a vacuum tube vehicle station is provided. The assembly includes a modular station vacuum tube having a tube volume and a plurality of cavities longitudinally formed around a circumference of the modular station vacuum tube, and a volume reduction assembly integrated with the modular station vacuum tube, where the volume reduction assembly includes a plurality of blocks longitudinally coupled to a cavity interior of each of the plurality of cavities. The assembly includes a control system coupled between the modular station vacuum tube and the blocks. The control system radially moves the blocks to and from a vehicle outer surface of a vacuum transport tube vehicle at the vacuum tube vehicle station. The assembly displaces the tube volume between a station wall and the vehicle outer surface, and reduces the volume to be evacuated at the vacuum tube vehicle station.