Electronically-releasable suction cup assembly secured to an appliance
OwnerTodd H. Beckerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronically-releasable suction cup assembly is designed to releasably secure an object to a surface. The suction cup assembly includes a suction cup secured to the object. The suction cup has a cavity and is configured to be releasably secured to the surface. The suction cup assembly further includes a gas generating cell coupled to the suction cup. The gas generating cell is configured to selectively eject fluid into the cavity of the suction cup to release the suction cup from the surface.
Claims16
An electronically-releasable suction cup assembly to releasably secure an object to a surface, the suction cup assembly comprising:
- a suction cup secured to the object, the suction cup having a cavity and being configured to be releasably secured to the surface;
- and
- a non-mechanical micro-pump including an actuation mechanism configured to produce one of an electro-chemical flow, an electro-hydrodynamic flow, an electro-osmotic flow, or an ultrasonic flow, the non-mechanical micro-pump being coupled to the suction cup and configured to selectively eject fluid into the cavity of the suction cup to release the suction cup from the surface,
- wherein the suction cup includes a center head that is secured to the object and a base that defines a cavity, the base being configured to be releasably secured to the surface by forming a vacuum with the surface, and
- wherein the non-mechanical micro-pump is coupled to the suction cup, the non-mechanical micro-pump being positioned within the opening and contained entirely within the suction cup.
A method of releasably securing an object to a surface, the method comprising:
- securing a suction cup of an electronically-releasable suction cup assembly to the object, the suction cup having a cavity and being configured to be releasably secured to the surface;
- and
- selectively ejecting fluid from a non-mechanical micro-pump coupled to the suction cup, the non-mechanical micro-pump being configured to selectively eject fluid into the cavity of the suction cup to release the suction cup from the surface, the non-mechanical micro-pump including an actuation mechanism configured to produce one of an electro-chemical flow, an electro-hydrodynamic flow, an electro-osmotic flow, or an ultrasonic flow,
- wherein the suction cup includes a center head that is secured to the object and a base that defines a cavity, the base being configured to be releasably secured to the surface by forming a vacuum with the surface, and
- wherein the non-mechanical micro-pump is coupled to the suction cup, the non-mechanical micro-pump being positioned within the opening and contained entirely within the suction cup.
An appliance comprising:
- a container having an exterior wall;
- and
- an electronically-releasable suction cup assembly to releasably secure the container to a surface, the suction cup assembly comprising
- a suction cup secured to the exterior wall of the container, the suction cup having a cavity and being configured to be releasably secured to the surface, and
- a gas generating cell coupled to the suction cup, the gas generating cell being configured to selectively eject fluid into the cavity of the suction cup to release the suction cup from the surface,
- wherein the suction cup includes a center head that is secured to the object and a base that defines the cavity, the center head having an opening in fluid communication with the cavity, the base being configured to be releasably secured to the surface by forming a vacuum with the surface, and
- wherein the gas generating cell is button-sized in construction and coupled to the suction cup, the gas generating cell being positioned within the opening and contained entirely within the suction cup.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.