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Cartridge ejection and data acquisition systemRelated Patent Categories: Ammunition And Explosives, Smoke GeneratingCartridge ejection and data acquisition system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070119328, Cartridge ejection and data acquisition system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The principles of several embodiments of the present invention generally related to an electromechanical system, and more specifically to an electromechanical cartridge ejection and data acquisition system. [0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art [0004] When applying agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc., to a target area (e.g., a predetermined agricultural field) via aerial application, it is generally desirable to maximize the amount of agricultural chemical that reaches the target while minimizing the amount of chemical that is applied to non-target areas (e.g., neighboring agricultural fields, schools, residential areas, business areas, etc.). As all aerially applied agricultural chemicals are capable of drifting, it is important to take practice aerial application techniques that help to minimize or prevent drift over non-target areas. Indeed, companies and individuals in the agricultural chemical application industry face the increasing possibility of litigation due to chemical drift as schools, residential areas, and the like, continue to encroach upon agricultural fields. [0005] Without accurate information related to meteorological conditions existing at different altitudes over and within the vicinity of the target area (i.e., localized meteorological conditions) such as humidity, temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, an aerial applicator cannot be sure whether it is safe to apply agricultural chemicals. For example, it is generally ineffective, and often illegal, to aerially apply agricultural chemicals in the presence of wind speeds that are greater than 10 MPH as the agricultural chemicals drift excessively outside the target area. Additionally, agricultural chemicals may drift excessively as aerosols in an atmosphere having a low humidity or high temperature, rather than condense into droplets that precipitate more readily in an atmosphere having a high humidity or low temperature. [0006] In the past, smoke has been used to indicate localized meteorological conditions such as wind direction and speed, wherein the smoke is generated by placing a tire in the target area, dousing the tire with kerosene, and burning the tire. Such a solution, however, generates toxic fumes that are often as environmentally unfriendly as the agricultural chemicals are when applied to non-target areas. To avoid burning tires, it has been proposed to equip aircraft with instrumentation that generates navigational information (e.g., information indicating latitude and longitude of the aircraft) and that determines the meteorological conditions within the vicinity of the aircraft. Meteorological conditions vary at different altitudes over the ground. Accordingly, solutions relying solely on aircraft mounted instrumentation cannot determine meteorological conditions existing between the flight path of the aircraft and the surface of the target area (i.e., localized surface meteorological conditions). [0007] Without the knowledge of meteorological conditions as they exist at all altitudes over and within the vicinity of the target area, however, aerial applicator pilots essentially estimate the probability that agricultural chemicals will excessively drift onto non-target areas if released from the aircraft at particular altitudes and adjust their flight path to compensate for the probability of drift. Aerial applicator pilots, however, may sometimes estimate incorrectly, resulting in contamination or destruction of crops and significant health risks to people in non-target areas. It was recognition of these and other facts that created the impetus for the development of principles associated with several embodiments of the present invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] Several embodiments of the invention advantageously address the needs above as well as other needs by providing a cartridge, a cartridge ejection unit, and an ejection system and related methods. In one embodiment, an end cap of a smoke cartridge includes a nozzle adapted to be coupled to the end of a smoke cartridge; an aperture defined within a first surface of the nozzle; and a channel extending tortuously through the nozzle, the channel being in fluid communication with the aperture and the interior of the smoke cartridge. [0009] In another embodiment, a smoke cartridge includes a first tube; a nozzle coupled to the first tube, the nozzle having a channel extending tortuously therethrough and an aperture in fluid communication with the channel; a pressure-sensitive activation unit fixed inside the first tube and coaxially aligned with the aperture; and a smoke capsule inside the first tube and in fluid communication with the channel. [0010] In another embodiment, a cartridge ejection unit includes a magazine housing adapted to contain a plurality of cartridges; an actuator unit coupled to the magazine housing and adapted to exert a force on a cartridge contained within the magazine housing and eject the cartridge from the magazine housing; a cartridge moving unit coupled to the magazine housing and adapted to align the plurality of cartridges with the actuator unit; and an alignment block coupled to an end portion of the magazine housing and adapted to orient a cartridge aligned with the actuator unit. [0011] In another embodiment, an ejection system includes a frame; a controller unit coupled to the frame and adapted to receive a command input; a cartridge ejection unit coupled to the frame and adapted to eject a cartridge in response to the received command input; and a recording unit coupled to the controller unit and adapted to record data when the cartridge is ejected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of several embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings. [0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a cartridge ejection and data acquisition system according to several embodiments of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary message structure employed in accordance with principles of several embodiments of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of a controller subsystem according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of a remote interface module subsystem according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a functional block diagram of a cartridge subsystem according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a functional block diagram of a meteorological subsystem according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 7 illustrates a functional block diagram of a recording subsystem according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 8 illustrates a functional block diagram of a digital video recording unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 9 illustrates a functional block diagram of a video overlay unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. 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