1. A container decelerator apparatus for slowing containers impelled through a container transport system between at least two container processing stations, the container transport system having pneumatic conduits through which the containers are impelled by low pressure, high speed air, the containers each having a body having a diameter sized to be slidably received within said pneumatic conduits and surrounding and enclosing an interior accessible through a sealable container opening, the decelerator comprising:
an input chute coupled to an exit end of said pneumatic conduit;
an output chute coupled to a downstream one of said at least two container processing stations;
a plurality of elongate vanes, each vane having an inner edge and an outer edge and coupled in a curvilinear path between said input chute and said output chute; and
a plurality of annular yokes disposed along and transverse to said plurality of elongate vanes, said annular yokes engaging said outer edges to hold said elongate vanes in fixed, parallel relation to each other along said curvilinear path.
2. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the curvilinear path of the elongate vanes comprises:
a descending helix having
a horizontal decelerator diameter; and
a decelerator height defined by a vertical elevation differential between said input and output chutes
wherein said containers follow a substantially helical path in a single rotational direction through the container decelerator.
3. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:
said vertical elevation differential is adjustable; and
said container decelerator may be adjusted to
lower a rate of deceleration of said containers by increasing said vertical elevation differential; and
increase a rate of deceleration of said containers by decreasing said vertical elevation differential.
4. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:
said horizontal decelerator diameter is adjustable; and
said container decelerator may be adjusted to
lower a rate of deceleration of said containers by decreasing said horizontal decelerator diameter; and
increase a rate of deceleration of said containers by increasing said horizontal decelerator diameter.
5. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:
said horizontal decelerator diameter is adjustable;
said vertical elevation differential is adjustable; and
said container decelerator may be adjusted to lower a rate of deceleration of said containers by a combination of
decreasing said horizontal decelerator diameter; and
by increasing said vertical elevation differential; and
said container decelerator may adjusted to increase a rate of deceleration of said containers by a combination of
increasing said horizontal decelerator diameter; and
decreasing said vertical elevation differential.
6. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the curvilinear path of the elongate vanes comprises:
a plurality of sequentially disposed, angular re-directional curves, each angular re-directional curve having
an upstream entrance coupled to said input chute; and
a downstream exit coupled through a sequentially next angular re-directional curve to said output chute;
wherein said containers change directions twice through each of said plurality of angular re-directional curves as they move through said container decelerator apparatus, frictionally engaging said inside edges of said elongate vanes with each direction change to dissipate kinetic energy of said containers into said elongate vanes.
7. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 6 wherein:
said input chute is disposed at substantially the same vertical elevation as said output chute to
reduce the vertical displacement of said input chute and said output chute; and
minimize the acceleration effect of gravity on said containers as they move through said container decelerator apparatus.
8. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 6 wherein:
said input chute is disposed substantially above said output chute to minimize the horizontal space occupied by said container decelerator apparatus.
9. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
a container conveyor coupled between said output chute and said at least two container processing stations, the container conveyor having
a container support belt adapted to rotate around a least two pulleys to move a plurality of containers exiting from said output chute; and
a motor coupled to one of said at least two pulleys and adapted to rotate the container support belt at a speed selected to urge said containers into said downstream one of said at least two container processing stations at a pace adapted to coordinate with a container processing speed of said downstream one of said at least two container processing stations.
10. A container decelerator apparatus for slowing containers impelled through a container transport system between at least two container processing stations, the container transport system having pneumatic conduits through which the containers are impelled by low pressure, high speed air, the containers each having a body having a diameter sized to be slidably received within said pneumatic conduits and surrounding and enclosing an interior accessible through a sealable container opening, the decelerator comprising:
an input chute coupled to an exit end of said pneumatic conduit;
an output chute coupled to a downstream one of said at least two container processing stations;
a plurality of elongate vanes, each vane having an inner edge and an outer edge and coupled in a curvilinear path between said input chute and said output chute;
a plurality of annular yokes disposed along and transverse to said plurality of elongate vanes, said annular yokes engaging said outer edges to hold said elongate vanes in fixed, parallel relation to each other along said curvilinear path; and
a container conveyor coupled between said output chute and said at least two container processing stations, the container conveyor having
a container support belt adapted to rotate around at least two pulleys to move a plurality of containers exiting from said output chute; and
a motor coupled to one of said at least two pulleys and adapted to rotate the container support belt at a speed selected to urge said containers into said downstream one of said at least two container processing stations at a pace adapted to coordinate with a container processing speed of said downstream one of said at least two container processing stations.
11. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 10 wherein:
a vertical displacement between said input chute and said output chute is adjustable to regulate a rate of deceleration of said containers as they move through said container decelerator apparatus.
12. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 11 wherein:
the elongate vanes are resilient; and
the curvilinear path of the elongate vanes comprises a descending helix whereby said vertical displacement is adjusted by stretching said descending helix to cause said resilient elongate vanes to extend through a greater vertical displacement between said input chute and said output chute.
13. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 11 wherein:
the curvilinear path of the elongate vanes comprises a descending helix having a horizontal helix diameter that is adjustable;
said container decelerator may be adjusted to lower a rate of deceleration of said containers by a combination of
decreasing said horizontal helix diameter; and
by increasing said vertical displacement; and
said container decelerator may be adjusted to increase a rate of deceleration of said containers by a combination of
increasing said horizontal decelerator diameter; and
decreasing said vertical displacement differential.
14. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the curvilinear path of the elongate vanes comprises:
a plurality of sequentially coupled, angular re-directional curves, each angular re-directional curve coupled to a next one of said plurality of angular re-directional curves to cause said containers to encounter a pair of direction changes for each of said plurality of angular redirection curves as they move through said container decelerator apparatus, the containers frictionally engaging said inside edges of said elongate vanes with each direction change to dissipate kinetic energy of said containers into said elongate vanes.
15. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:
said input chute is disposed at substantially the same vertical elevation as said output chute to
reduce the vertical displacement of said input chute and said output chute; and
minimize the acceleration effect of gravity on said containers as they move through said container deceleration apparatus.
16. The container decelerator apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:
Said input chute is disposed substantially above said output chute to minimize the horizontal space occupied by said container decelerator apparatus.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
point providing means for providing a point to a player on receipt of a correct answer from the player with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices; and
image switching means for switching and alternately displaying a reference image for reference and a difference image on the display to find differences.
2. The game server according to claim 1, further comprising:
switching timing setting means for setting a timing for switching and alternately displaying the reference image and the difference image on the display,
wherein the image switching means has a function to switch and alternately display the reference image and the difference image on the display at the timing set by the switching timing setting means.
3. The game server according to claim 2, further comprising:
play-number storing means for storing a play-number data indicating a number of times that the player plays the difference detection game;
player identification means for identifying the player to play the difference detection game; and
number-comparing means for comparing a reference-number data as a criterion to determine whether or not the player identified by the player identification means has frequently played the difference detection game and the play-number data that has been stored in the play-number storing means,
wherein the switching timing setting means sets the timing in accordance with a comparison result by the number-comparing means.
4. The game server according to claim 2, further comprising:
winning-number storing means for storing a numerical value data of acquired points or prizes for winning with the difference detection game played by the player; and
player identification means for identifying the player to play the difference detection game; and;
numerical value comparing means for comparing a reference numerical value data as a criterion to determine whether or not the player identified by the player identification means has won a large number of points or prizes with the difference detection game and the numerical value data stored in the winning-number storing means,
wherein the switching timing setting means sets the timing in accordance with a comparison result by the numerical value comparing means.
5. The game server according to claim 3, comprising:
hint image display control means for displaying a hint image to assist the player to find a correct answer on the display in accordance with the comparison result by the number-comparing means or the numerical value comparing means.
6. The game server according to claim 4, comprising:
hint image display control means for displaying a hint image to assist the player to find a correct answer on the display in accordance with the comparison result by the number-comparing means or the numerical value comparing means.
7. A game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
point providing means for providing a point to a player on receipt of a correct answer from the player with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices; and
image display means for displaying simultaneously on the display a reference image for reference and a plurality of difference images to find differences.
8. The game server according to claim 7, wherein the point providing means sets an obtainable number of points for each of the plurality of difference images.
9. The game server according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of difference images includes one difference from the reference image, and the game server comprising:
image selecting means for letting the player select one difference image out of the plurality of difference images to play the difference detection game.
10. The game server according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of difference images includes one difference from the reference image, and the game server comprising:
image selecting means for letting the player select one difference image out of the plurality of difference images to play the difference detection game.
11. A game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
providing means for providing a point or prize to a player on receipt of a correct answer from the player with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices;
image display means for simultaneously displaying a reference image for reference and a plurality of difference images on the display;
image selecting means for letting the player select one difference image out of the plurality of difference images for playing the difference detection game; and
a correspondence data set for establishing a correspondence between each of the plurality of difference images and the point or prize; and
corresponding image display means for displaying a corresponding image on the display by selecting the correspondence data set corresponding to any one of the plurality of difference images on receipt of the correct answer from the player.
12. A game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
providing means for providing a point or prize to a player on receipt of a correct answer from the player with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices;
reference image display means for displaying a reference image for reference on the display as an animated image;
difference image display means for displaying a difference image as an animated image; and
image switching means for switching and alternately displaying the reference image and the difference image to find differences.
13. The game server according to claim 12, comprising:
switching time setting means for setting an interval for which the reference image and the difference image are alternatively displayed on the display by the image switching means,
wherein the image switching means has a function to switch and display the reference image and the difference image on the display in accordance with the interval set by the switching time setting means.
14. The game server according to claim 12, further comprising:
cumulative number-comparing storing means for cumulatively storing a number of times that the reference image and the difference image are alternatively displayed on the display by the image switching means;
a plurality of correspondence data sets for establishing a correspondence between the difference images and the point or prize; and
corresponding image display means for displaying a corresponding image on the display by selecting one data set from the plurality of correspondence data sets corresponding to the difference images based on the number of times stored in the cumulative number-comparing storing means on receipt of the correct answer from the player.
15. The game server according to claim 13, further comprising:
cumulative number-comparing storing means for cumulatively storing a number of times that the reference image and the difference image are alternatively displayed on the display by the image switching means;
a plurality of correspondence data sets for establishing a correspondence between the difference images and the point or prize; and
corresponding image display means for displaying a corresponding image on the display by selecting one data set from the plurality of correspondence data sets corresponding to the difference images based-on the number of times stored in the cumulative number-comparing storing means on receipt of the correct answer from the player.
16. A game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
answer data storing means for storing answer data showing an answer with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the terminal devices;
correct answer data storing means for storing correct answer data as a criterion to determine whether or not the answer data stored in the answer data storing means matches the correct answer data;
comparing means for comparing the answer data stored in the answer data storing means and the correct answer data stored in the correct answer data storing means;
providing means for providing a point or prize to display on the display on determination that the answer data matches the correct answer data as a comparison result by the comparing means;
image switching means for switching and alternately displaying the reference image for reference and the difference image on the display; and
switching time setting means for setting an interval for which the reference image and the difference image are alternatively displayed on the display by the image switching means,
wherein the image switching means has a function to switch and display alternatively the reference image and the difference image on the display in accordance with the interval set by the switching time setting means.
17. The game server according to claim 16, further comprising:
data providing means for providing data for the plurality of terminal devices via a communication line;
reference image data storing means for storing reference image data to display the reference image for reference on the display provided to each of the terminal devices; and
difference image data storing means for storing difference image data to display the difference image on the display,
wherein the data providing means provides the reference image data and the difference image data for the terminal devices before executing the difference detection game on the display of each of the terminal devices.
18. The game server according to claim 16, comprising:
image display control means for displaying the reference image or the difference image, in an enlarged manner or a reduced manner in response to an image enlarging request or an image reducing request from each of the terminal devices on the display.
19. The game server according to claim 17, comprising:
image display control means for displaying the reference image or the difference image, in an enlarged manner or a reduced manner in response to an image enlarging request or an image reducing request from each of the terminal devices on the display.
20. The game server according to claim 16, comprising:
number-of-times-of-enlargement storing means for storing a number of times that the image display control means displays the reference image or the difference image in an enlarged manner;
a plurality of correspondence data sets for establishing a correspondence between the difference images and the point or prize; and
corresponding image display means for displaying a corresponding image on the display by selecting one data set from the plurality of correspondence data sets corresponding to the difference images according to the number of times of displaying in an enlarged manner stored in the number-of-times-of-enlargement storing means on determination that the answer data is correct as a comparison result by the comparing means.
21. The game server according to claims 17, comprising:
number-of-times-of-enlargement storing means for storing a number of times that the image display control means displays the reference image or the difference image in an enlarged manner;
a plurality of correspondence data sets for establishing a correspondence between the difference images and the point or prize; and
corresponding image display means for displaying a corresponding image on the display by selecting one data set from the plurality of correspondence data sets corresponding to the difference images according to the number of times of displaying in an enlarged manner stored in the number-of-times-of-enlargement storing means on determination that the answer data is correct as a comparison result by the comparing means.
22. The game server according to claims 18, comprising:
number-of-times-of-enlargement storing means for storing a number of times that the image display control means displays the reference image or the difference image in an enlarged manner;
a plurality of correspondence data sets for establishing a correspondence between the difference images and the point or prize; and
corresponding image display means for displaying a corresponding image on the display by selecting one data set from the plurality of correspondence data sets corresponding to the difference images according to the number of times of displaying in an enlarged manner stored in the number-of-times-of-enlargement storing means on determination that the answer data is correct as a comparison result by the comparing means.
23. A game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
answer data storing means for storing answer data showing an answer with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices;
correct answer data storing means for storing correct answer data as a determination criterion whether or not the answer data stored in the answer data storing means matches the correct answer data;
comparing means for comparing the answer data stored in the answer data storing means and the correct answer data stored in the correct answer data storing means; and
providing means for providing a point or prize to display on the display on determination that the answer data matches the correct answer data as a comparison result by the comparing means;
play history storing means for storing play history data with a different game than the difference detection game being provided on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices, the different game having been executed on the display before the difference detection game;
reference image display means for displaying a replay image of the different game as a reference image of the difference detection game based on the play history data stored in the play history storing means on the display;
difference image creating means for creating a difference image of the difference detection game based on the play history data stored in the play history storing means, the difference image being different from the replay image; and
image display means for displaying the difference image created by the difference image creating means on the display.
24. The game server according to claim 23, further comprising:
image switching means for switching and alternately displaying the reference image for reference and the difference image on the display; and
switching time setting means for setting an interval for which the reference image and the difference image are alternatively displayed on the display by the image switching means,
wherein the image switching means has a function to switch and display the reference image and the difference image on the display in accordance with the interval set by the switching time setting means.
25. The game server according to claim 23, comprising:
data providing means for providing data for the plurality of user terminal devices via the communication line;
reference image data storing means for storing reference image data to display the reference image on the display; and
difference image data storing means for storing difference image data to display the difference image on the display,
wherein the data providing means provides the reference image data to display the reference image and the difference image data to display the difference image for the user terminal devices before executing the difference detection game on the display.
26. The game server according to claim 24, comprising:
data providing means for providing data for the plurality of user terminal devices via the communication line;
reference image data storing means for storing reference image data to display the reference image on the display; and
difference image data storing means for storing difference image data to display the difference image on the display,
wherein the data providing means provides the reference image data to display the reference image and the difference image data to display the difference image for the user terminal devices before executing the difference detection game on the display.
27. A program running on a game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the server executing a difference detection game on display provided to each of the user terminal devices, the program executing the steps of:
providing a point to the player on receipt of a correct answer from the player playing the difference detection game; and
switching and alternately displaying a reference image for reference and a difference image on the display to find differences.
28. A program running on a game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the server executing a difference detection game on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices, the program executing the steps of:
providing a point to the player on receipt of a correct answer from the player playing the difference detection game; and
simultaneously displaying a reference image for reference and a plurality of difference images for the difference detection game on the display.
29. A program running on a game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the server comprising providing means for providing a point or prize to a player on receipt of a correct answer from the player with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices, the program executing the steps of:
displaying a reference image for reference as an animated image on the display;
displaying a difference image as an animated image; and
switching and alternately displaying the reference image and the difference image.
30. A program running on a game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
answer data storing means for storing answer data showing an answer with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices;
correct answer data storing means for storing correct answer data as a determination criterion whether or not the answer data stored in the answer data storing means matches the correct answer data;
comparing means for comparing the answer data stored in the answer data storing means and the correct answer data stored in the correct answer data storing means; and
providing means for providing a point or prize to display on the display on determination that the answer data matches the correct answer data as a comparison result by the comparing means, the program executing the steps of:
switching and alternately displaying a reference image for reference and a difference image on the display; and
setting an interval for which the reference image and the difference image are displayed alternatively on the display with the interval.
31. A program running on a game server being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a plurality of user terminal devices via a communication line, the game server comprising:
answer data storing means for storing answer data showing an answer with a difference detection game executed on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices;
correct answer data storing means for storing correct answer data as a determination criterion whether or not the answer data stored in the answer data storing means matches the correct answer data;
comparing means for comparing the answer data stored in the answer data storing means and the correct answer data stored in the correct answer data storing means; and
providing means for providing a point or prize to display on the display on determination that the answer data matches the correct answer data as a comparison result by the comparing, the program executing the steps of:
storing play history data with a different game than the difference detection game being provided on a display provided to each of the user terminal devices, the different game having been executed on the display before the difference detection game;
displaying a replay image of the different game as a reference image of the difference detection game based on the stored play history data on the display;
creating a difference image of the difference detection game based on the stored play history data, the difference image being different from the replay image; and
displaying the created difference image on the display.