US 10,773,394 B2 · Opposed, controllable gecko adhesive gripper system with scalable manufacturability

Abstract

A gripper system is provided that includes first and second linear carriages and first and second gecko adhesive patches. The gecko adhesive patches may have first and second surfaces, and a thin rigid backing may be attached to the second surface of the gecko adhesive patches. At least one layer of non-stretchable, flexible film may be glued to the thin rigid backing and a thick rigid backing may be glued to the film. The gripper system may further include a loading film. In other embodiments, the gripper system may include first and second pluralities of support tendons, which may connect the gecko adhesive patches to the carriages.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gripper system comprising:

a first linear carriage;
a second linear carriage spaced apart from the first linear carriage;
a first gecko adhesive patch, having first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface consists of a microwedge controllable adhesive;
a second gecko adhesive patch, having a first and second surface, wherein the first surface consists of a microwedge controllable adhesive;
at least one thin rigid backing, attached to the second surface of the first and second gecko adhesive patches;
at least one layer of non-stretchable, orthogonal flexible film glued to the thin rigid backing;
and
a thick rigid backing glued to the film,
wherein the thick rigid backing further comprises a loading film connected to the thick rigid backing and one of the first or second linear carriage.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/113,239Filed 27 Aug 2018 · us provisional application

Priority

25 Aug 2017

Published

US 2019/0061169 A128 Feb 2019

Granted

15 Sep 2020

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

B25J 15/008
Gripping heads and other end effectors: with sticking, gluing or adhesive means
B25J 15/0052
Gripping heads and other end effectors: multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors
B32B 3/06
Characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions: for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another…
B32B 3/08
Characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions: characterised by added members at particular parts

Opposed, controllable gecko adhesive gripper system with scalable manufacturability

Life of this patent

Opposed, controllable gecko adhesive gripper system with scalable manufacturability

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20