Work holders – With fluid means – Cylinder-piston means in series with additional positioning...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-27
2002-10-29
Rachuba, M. (Department: 3723)
Work holders
With fluid means
Cylinder-piston means in series with additional positioning...
C269S228000, C269S237000, C269S243000, C269S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471199
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric clamp apparatus which makes it possible to clamp a workpiece to be positioned and transported on a carriage, for example, in an automatic assembling line.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, for example, a workpiece such as an engine is transported by a carriage in an automatic assembling line for automobiles. A variety of machining steps or assembling steps are performed at respective stations.
It is necessary at each of the stations that the positioning is performed to obtain a predetermined position in order to fix the workpiece to a jig. In recent years, a system is adopted, in which a clamp apparatus is provided for the carriage itself, the workpiece is transported while being clamped on the carriage, and only the carriage is positioned at each of the stations.
In this system, a fluid pressure-operated cylinder, for example, a pneumatic cylinder is used as a driving source for driving the clamp apparatus.
In view of the above, the present applicant has proposed an electric clamp apparatus in which the clamping force can be further increased, the complicated arrangement of air piping or the like can be dissolved, and the installation space can be effectively utilized (see Japanese Patent Application No. 11-282195).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in relation to the proposal described above, a general object of which is to provide an electric clamp apparatus which makes it possible to realize a small size by forming the entire apparatus to have a flat configuration with a narrow width and which makes it possible to smoothly regulate a range of rotation of an arm by means of a simple structure.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3599957 (1971-08-01), Blatt
patent: 3704879 (1972-12-01), Nishikawa
patent: 4723767 (1988-02-01), McPherson
patent: 5215295 (1993-06-01), Hoover
patent: 5575462 (1996-11-01), Blatt
patent: 5799932 (1998-09-01), Blatt
patent: 6199846 (2001-03-01), Crorey
patent: 0 243 599 (1987-11-01), None
Co-Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/627,036 by Shigekazu Nagai et al. for “Electric Clamp Apparatus,” filed on Sep. 29, 2000.
Nagai Shigekazu
Saitoh Akio
Yumiba Hiroshi
Guss Paul A.
Rachuba M.
Shanley Daniel
SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
Electric clamp apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric clamp apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric clamp apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2940679