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US 10,239,217 B2Granted
Magnet gripper systems
AssigneeGeneral Atomics
InventorsGerald William Silke, Michael Bernard Condon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some embodiments provide a magnet gripper system, comprising: a gripper base comprising a magnetically attractive face; at least two slide plate retaining systems; and two or more slide plates wherein at least one of the slide plates is movably cooperated with each of the at least two slide plate retaining systems such that the slide plates are configured to move between a retracted position with the slide plates retracted relative to the face of the gripper base and an extended position with the slide plates extended relative to the face of the gripper base with an end of each of the slide plates being positioned further from the face of the gripper base when in the extended position than when the slide plates are in the retracted position.
Claims26
A magnet gripper system, comprising:
- a gripper base comprising a magnetically attractive face;
- at least two slide plate retaining systems rigidly fixed relative to the gripper base positioned on lateral sides relative to the gripper base and separated by at least a width of the gripper base;
- two or more slide plates wherein at least one of the slide plates is movably cooperated with each of the at least two slide plate retaining systems such that the slide plates are configured to move between a retracted position with the slide plates retracted relative to the face of the gripper base and an extended position with the slide plates extended relative to the face of the gripper base with an end of each of the slide plates being positioned further from the face of the gripper base when in the extended position than when the slide plates are in the retracted position;
- and
- at least one push rod comprising a non-magnetically attractive end positioned relative to the gripper base and movable between a rod retracted position and a rod extended position such that in the rod extended position the non-magnetically attractive end extends beyond the face of the gripper base interfering with magnetically attaching with the face of the gripper base, and in the rod retracted position does not interfere with magnetically coupling with the face of the gripper base.
2 more elements
A magnet gripper system, comprising:
- a gripper base comprising a magnetically attractive face;
- at least two slide plate retaining systems rigidly fixed relative to the gripper base positioned on lateral sides relative to the gripper base and separated by at least a width of the gripper base;
- two or more slide plates wherein at least one of the slide plates is movably cooperated with each of the at least two slide plate retaining systems such that the slide plates are configured to move between a retracted position with the slide plates retracted relative to the face of the gripper base and an extended position with the slide plates extended relative to the face of the gripper base with an end of each of the slide plates being positioned further from the face of the gripper base when in the extended position than when the slide plates are in the retracted position;
- and
- a vertical positioning slide system comprising one or more guides, and a stop support cooperated with each of the one or more guides;
- and
- a frame secured with the gripper base and further cooperated with the one or more guides such that the gripper base is free to move vertically along the one or more guides between the one or more stop supports and an upper bound, and when the frame is in contact with the one or more stop supports, the one or more stop supports support a weight of at least the frame, gripper base, the at least two slide plate retaining systems and the corresponding slide plates.
4 more elements
A magnet gripper system, comprising:
- a gripper base comprising a magnetically attractive face;
- at least two slide plate retaining systems rigidly fixed relative to the gripper base positioned on lateral sides relative to the gripper base and separated by at least a width of the gripper base;
- two or more slide plates wherein at least one of the slide plates is movably cooperated with each of the at least two slide plate retaining systems such that the slide plates are configured to move between a retracted position with the slide plates retracted relative to the face of the gripper base and an extended position with the slide plates extended relative to the face of the gripper base with an end of each of the slide plates being positioned further from the face of the gripper base when in the extended position than when the slide plates are in the retracted position;
- and
- a magnet cradle;
- wherein the gripper base further comprises one or more guide pin channels, wherein each of the one or more guide pin channels is configured to mate with a corresponding one of one or more guide pins of the magnet cradle and configured to establish accurate alignment of the gripper base and the two or more slide plates relative to the magnet cradle;
- wherein the magnet cradle comprises:
- a non-magnetic cradle frame;
- the one or more guide pins extending from the cradle frame;
- and
- one or more magnet latches cooperated with the cradle frame and configured to transition from a latched state and an unlatched state.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.