Handling technology for fragile materials such as aerogels
AssigneeCardinal CG Company
InventorKeith James Burrows
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for delicate handling of fragile materials, such as aerogels, fragile sheet-like materials and aerogel sheets.
Claims39
A method of handling an aerogel sheet using a handling apparatus having an electroadhesive gripper assembly with a contact facing, the aerogel sheet being a single layer of aerogel, the method comprising:
- moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to position the contact facing alongside the aerogel sheet, the aerogel sheet having a major dimension of greater than 0.9 meter and less than 3 meters;
- activating the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to introduce electrostatic forces that hold the aerogel sheet alongside the contact facing;
- moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on a glass sheet;
- deactivating the electroadhesive gripper assembly to reduce or eliminate the electrostatic forces;
- and
- moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to separate the contact facing from the aerogel sheet and leave the aerogel sheet on the glass sheet.
A method of handling an aerogel sheet using a handling apparatus having an electroadhesive gripper assembly with a contact facing, the method comprising:
- positioning the electroadhesive gripper assembly to provide the contact facing at a separation distance from the aerogel sheet such that the contact facing does not contact the aerogel sheet;
- and
- activating the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to introduce electrostatic forces that move the aerogel sheet toward the contact facing and hold the aerogel sheet alongside the contact facing.
A method of applying an aerogel sheet onto a glass sheet by handling the aerogel sheet with a handling apparatus having an electroadhesive gripper assembly comprising a plurality of electroadhesive grippers, the method comprising:
- moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to position the electroadhesive grippers alongside the aerogel sheet, the aerogel sheet having a major dimension of greater than 0.9 meter and less than 3 meters, the plurality of electroadhesive grippers each having a contact facing such that there is a plurality of contact facings, the plurality of contact facings having gripping surfaces with a combined surface area;
- activating the electroadhesive gripper assembly to introduce electrostatic forces that hold the aerogel sheet alongside the plurality of contact facings, the combined surface area of the gripping surfaces contacting less than 25% of a top surface of the aerogel sheet;
- moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet to position the aerogel sheet on the glass sheet, the glass sheet having a major dimension of at least about 1 meter;
- deactivating the electroadhesive gripper assembly to reduce or eliminate the electrostatic forces;
- and
- moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly to separate the plurality of contact facings from the aerogel sheet and leave the aerogel sheet on the glass sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.