Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Utilizing fluid pressure – Venturi effect
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-26
2002-07-16
Kramer, Dean J. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Utilizing fluid pressure
Venturi effect
C294S119300, C294S902000, C901S040000, C901S047000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419291
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flexible vacuum gripper which is adapted to gripping objects of varying shapes such as those which have irregular shapes and/or non-symmetrical shapes. The gripper utilizes a gripping element which is circumferentially and/or radially adjustable so as to be able to conform to irregular-shaped objects of varying size. The flexible gripper may have particular advantage in gripping objects which are lodged and/or trapped inside conduits and/or tunnels and/or underground bore holes or the like. The flexible gripper may also be used to remove objects trapped or lodged within various body conduits, e.g., objects which are trapped inside an animals throat. It may even have beneficial use in facilitating birthing, e.g., by gripping the head of life being for extraction.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Grippers which utilize vacuum to grip objects are known. However, such grippers generally cannot reliably grip irregularly shaped objects because they require that a seal be maintained between a surface of the object and a contacting surface on the gripper itself.
Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,687 provides a gripper having a workpiece contact surface which ensures an air tight seal between the gripper and the workpiece. However, such a contact surface cannot be said to be adjustable to objects of varying size. Moreover, it is clear that such a gripper design cannot function effectively to grip objects of irregular-shape and/or non-symmetrical objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,568, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides for a transfer unit with a block containing wells in which suckers are located. The wells comprise a border made of a sealing and friction material. The peripheral wall of the sucker is flexible enough to permit axial movement of the lip between an expanded position in which the lip projects above the border of the well and a contracted position in which the lip is coplanar with this border. The internal space of the sucker and the internal space of the well around the sucker are both connected to a vacuum source by respective narrow channels whose cross sections are approximately the same as each other. The size of the cross sections of the narrow channels is such that there is negligible loss of vacuum inside the sucker when a work piece is placed against the lip but not against the border of the well. However, such a sucker cannot be said to be adjustable to objects of varying size. Moreover, such a gripper design cannot function effectively to grip objects of irregular-shape and/or non-symmetrical objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,459, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides for an assembly for releasably securing objects by the use of a vacuum comprising a body having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, a fluid flow channel extending between the fluid inlet port and the fluid outlet port, a vacuum port, a low pressure channel extending between the vacuum port and the fluid flow channel, a sensing member receiving channel and a sensing member having a fluid flow regulation portion and a sensing portion, said sensing portion is further adapted to be movably received by the sensing member receiving channel, the sensing member being movable from a closed position to an open position, whereby when the sensing member is in the closed position the fluid flow channel is closed to the flow of fluids, and when the sensing member is in the open position the fluid flow channel is open to the flow of fluids, and when fluids flow through the flow channel a low pressure condition is created within the low-pressure channel. However, such a sucker cannot be said to be adjustable to objects of varying size. Moreover, such a gripper design cannot function effectively to grip objects of irregular-shape and/or non-symmetrical objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,056, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides for a robotic hand on a robot that is capable of picking-up several generally flattened articles in a stack form in a gentle non-damaging manner. The robotic hand has a manifold for directing controlled pressure air and a set of gripper finger assemblies extending therefrom. Each finger assembly has a rigid finger support member and an inflatable bladder extending along its length. The bladders are in communication with the chamber of the manifold and an external source of positive and negative pressure air. The robotic hand is capable of positioning itself over an article to be picked-up with the set of gripper finger assemblies encompassing the article. Pressurized air is directed through the manifold and into the bladders of the finger assemblies. The bladders expand sufficiently to grasp sides of the article. The robotic hand is moved to a position over another article wherein the bladders of the finger assemblies are deflated by drawing a vacuum through the manifold to cause the first article to drop onto the second article. Reinflating the bladders causes the gripper finger assemblies to grasp the two articles. However, such a hand cannot be said to be adjustable to objects of varying size. Additionally, the hand gripper uses positive and negative pressure to inflate and deflate bladders for securing the sides of flat objects, and does not use vacuum to grip the objects themselves. Moreover, such a gripper design cannot function effectively to grip objects of irregular-shape and/or non-symmetrical objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,264, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides for an inflatable gripper that is capable of picking-up bricks. The device appears to utilize bladders which expand sufficiently to grasp sides of the brick. However, such a design cannot be said to be adjustable to objects of varying size. Moreover, such a gripper design cannot function effectively to grip objects of irregular-shape and/or non-symmetrical objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,995, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides for an elongated, flexible teat cup liner of an improved design which can accommodate teats of varying lengths without fear of teat damage or inefficient machine milking. The liners include an apertured mouthpiece adjacent one end thereof, with an elongated, intermediate barrel presenting an inwardly collapsible teat-receiving region and a lowermost connecting tube adapted for connection to a constant vacuum source, such as, e.g., a milk claw. The liners have a barrel wall of gradually and progressively decreasing wall thickness for creating a differential resistance to inward collapse of the teat-receiving region of the barrel. The decrease in barrel wall thickness assures a relatively high resistance to inward collapse at a first location adjacent the mouthpiece, and a gradual and progressive decrease in such resistance to inward collapse along an axial length of the teat receiving region of the barrel. The connecting tube includes a segment intermediate the remote end of the liner and the barrel which is of reduced wall thickness to promote bending of the connecting tube under the combined weight of the liner and the attached shell to thereby inhibit vacuum-drawn airflow through the central channel when the mouthpiece is unattached to an animal's teat. However, such a milker tea cup cannot be said to be an object gripper, much less, a gripper which is adjustable to objects of varying size. Moreover, such a design is specifically limited to accommodating teats and cannot function effectively to grip objects of irregular-shape and/or non-symmetrical objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,056, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides for an improved gripping and pinching device particularly useful with laboratory glassware and adaptable for use with a robot or automated system. The device uses flexible tubing as a gripper,
Kramer Dean J.
Preta John
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