# US 11,440,171 B2 · Apparatuses and methods for separating, feeding and mounting O-rings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,171 B2 - Document ID: US11440171B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/991,561 - Filed: 2020-08-12 - Published: 2020-11-26 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-13 - Assignees: ABB Schweiz AG - Applicants: ABB Schweiz AG - Inventors: Cheng Li; Hao Gu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440171B2 ## CPC - B23P 19/001: {Article feeders for assembling machines (screws or nuts being carried by a disposable strip or disc B25B23/045)} - B25B 27/0028: {Tools for removing or installing seals (B25B27/0092 takes precedence)} - B23P 19/084: {for placing resilient or flexible rings, e.g. O-rings, circlips} - B25J 15/0019: {End effectors other than grippers} - B23P 19/105: {using sensing means} - B25J 11/00: Manipulators not otherwise provided for - B25J 13/086: {Proximity sensors} - B25J 15/0023: {Gripper surfaces directly activated by a fluid (flexible fingers B25J15/12)} - B25J 15/0616: {with vacuum} - B25J 15/0658: {Pneumatic type, e.g. air blast or overpressure} - B25J 15/0683: {Details of suction cup structure, e.g. grooves or ridges} - Y10T 29/49872: Confining elastic part in socket - Y10T 29/53657: to apply or remove a resilient article [e.g., tube, sleeve, etc.] - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present application discloses an apparatus for separating and feeding O-rings, which includes a rotatable body including a storage portion and a separating portion; and a helix groove formed on the rotatable body across the storage portion and the separating portion, wherein a width and a depth of the helix groove are adapted to a wire diameter of a O-ring, and pitch of the helix groove on the separating portion increases along a feeding direction from the storage portion to the separating portion, wherein in response to a rotation of the rotatable body, the helix groove conveys a plurality of O-rings hanged on the storage portion to the separating portion to thereby separate the plurality of O-rings away from each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for separating and feeding O-rings, comprising: a rotatable body comprising a storage portion and a separating portion; and a helix groove formed on the rotatable body across the storage portion and the separating portion, wherein a width and a depth of the helix groove are adapted to a wire diameter of an O-ring, and pitch of the helix groove on the separating portion increases along a feeding direction from the storage portion to the separating portion, wherein in response to a rotation of the rotatable body, the helix groove conveys a plurality of O-rings hanged on the storage portion to the separating portion to thereby separate the plurality of O-rings away from each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a limiting mechanism arranged over the separating portion and adapted to prevent the plurality of O-rings from being out of the helix groove during the conveying. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a holding mechanism arranged over the storage portion and comprising: a guiding section extended from an end of the limiting mechanism adjacent to the storage portion and away from the rotatable body in a direction opposite to the feeding direction; and a holding section extending from an end of the guiding section away from the separating portion and adapted to be received in an operating mechanism of a robot to couple the limiting mechanism to the robot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the limiting mechanism, the guiding mechanism and the holding mechanism are integrally formed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a distance between the limiting mechanism and the rotatable body is smaller than the wire diameter of the O-ring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the limiting mechanism is attached to the rotatable body by magnetic attraction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotatable body is adapted to be received in an operating mechanism of a robot to thereby be coupled to the robot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the helix groove on the storage portion in a plane parallel to the feeding direction is of an arc shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the helix groove on the separating portion in a plane parallel to the feeding direction is of a rectangular or trapezoidal shape. ### Claim 10 A system, comprising: a robot; and an apparatus operably engaged with said robot to separate and feed O-rings, the apparatus comprising: a rotatable body comprising a storage portion and a separating portion; and a helix groove formed on the rotatable body across the storage portion and the separating portion, wherein a width and a depth of the helix groove are adapted to a wire diameter of an O-ring, and pitch of the helix groove on the separating portion increases along a feeding direction from the storage portion to the separating portion, wherein in response to a rotation of the rotatable body, the helix groove conveys a plurality of O-rings hanged on the storage portion to the separating portion to separate the plurality of O-rings away from each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising a limiting mechanism arranged over the separating portion and adapted to prevent the plurality of O-rings from being out of the helix groove during the conveying. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a holding mechanism arranged over the storage portion and comprising: a guiding section extended from an end of the limiting mechanism adjacent to the storage portion and away from the rotatable body in a direction opposite to the feeding direction; and a holding section extending from an end of the guiding section away from the separating portion and adapted to be received in an operating mechanism of a robot to couple the limiting mechanism to the robot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the limiting mechanism, the guiding mechanism and the holding mechanism are integrally formed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein a distance between the limiting mechanism and the rotatable body is smaller than the wire diameter of the O-ring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the limiting mechanism is attached to the rotatable body by magnetic attraction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein a cross-section of the helix groove on the storage portion in a plane parallel to the feeding direction is of an arc shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein a cross-section of the helix groove on the separating portion in a plane parallel to the feeding direction is of a rectangular or trapezoidal shape. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: rotating a rotatable body, wherein the rotatable body comprises: a storage portion and a separating portion, wherein the rotatable body having a helix groove formed thereon across the storage portion and the separating portion, wherein a width and a depth of the helix groove are adapted to a wire diameter of an O-ring, and a pitch of the helix groove on the separating portion increases along a feeding direction from the storage portion to the separating portion, wherein a limiting mechanism is arranged over the separating portion, and a holding mechanism is arranged over the storage portion and comprises a guiding section and a holding section; and conveying with the helix a plurality of O-rings hanged on the storage portion to the separating portion to separate the plurality of O-rings away from each other; wherein the limiting mechanism prevents the plurality of O-rings from being out of the helix groove during the conveying; wherein the guiding section extends from an end of the limiting mechanism adjacent to the storage portion and away from the rotatable body in a direction opposite to the feeding direction; wherein the holding section extends from an end of the guiding section away from the separating portion and adapted to be received in an operating mechanism of a robot to couple the limiting mechanism to the robot.