# US 12,759,278 B2 · Handling technology for fragile materials such as aerogels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,278 B2 - Document ID: US12759278B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/536,611 - Filed: 2023-12-12 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14 - Assignees: Cardinal CG Company - Applicants: Cardinal CG Company - Inventors: Keith James Burrows - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759278B2 ## CPC - B32B 38/18: Handling of layers or the laminate - B32B 37/0046: {characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus} - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM ## Abstract Apparatuses, systems, and methods for delicate handling of fragile materials, such as aerogels, fragile sheet-like materials and aerogel sheets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the contact facing comprises a material having a compression modulus that is equal to or lower than a compression modulus of the aerogel sheet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the contact facing comprises a material having a hardness that is equal to or lower than a hardness of the aerogel sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the contact facing comprises a first aerogel material and the aerogel sheet comprises a second aerogel material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the first aerogel material and the second aerogel material have the same composition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the first aerogel material and the second aerogel material have different compositions, such that the first aerogel material is softer than the second aerogel material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the contact facing is configured as a sheet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to position the contact facing alongside the aerogel sheet results in the contact facing contacting an entirety of a top surface of the aerogel sheet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on the glass sheet includes pressing the aerogel sheet forcibly against the glass sheet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on the glass sheet includes pressing the aerogel sheet forcibly against the glass sheet with a pressure in the range of 0.1 kPa to 100 kPa. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on a substrate; 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 substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the separation distance is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the contact facing comprises a material having a compression modulus that is equal to or lower than a compression modulus of the aerogel sheet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the contact facing comprises a material having a hardness that is equal to or lower than a hardness of the aerogel sheet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the contact facing comprises a first aerogel material and the aerogel sheet comprises a second aerogel material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the first aerogel material and the second aerogel material have the same composition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the first aerogel material and the second aerogel material have different compositions, such that the first aerogel material is softer than the second aerogel material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the contact facing is configured as an aerogel sheet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said activating the electroadhesive gripper assembly so as to introduce electrostatic forces that move the aerogel sheet toward the contact facing results in the contact facing contacting an entirety of a top surface of the aerogel sheet. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said positioning the electroadhesive gripper assembly to provide the contact facing at the separation distance includes holding the contact facing stationary for some time such that said activating the electrostatic gripper assembly so as to introduce electrostatic forces that move the aerogel sheet toward the contact facing includes the aerogel sheet moving relative to the contact facing so as to traverse the separation distance. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on the glass sheet involves a pivoting application that initially positions only a portion of the aerogel sheet in contact with the glass sheet followed by positioning a remainder of the aerogel sheet in contact with the glass sheet. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the electroadhesive gripper assembly is provided at a connection interface of a support structure of a handling apparatus, the connection interface comprising a housing, carriage, and/or shuttle that moves the electroadhesive gripper assembly along a vertical axis and along at least one horizontal axis. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the contact facing is releasably fixed to a facing surface of the electroadhesive gripper assembly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the glass sheet has a major dimension of at least about 1 meter. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aerogel sheet consists essentially of silica-based aerogel. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the glass sheet is incorporated as part of a window, door, skylight, or other glazing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the electroadhesive gripper assembly is provided at a connection interface of a support structure of a handling apparatus, the connection interface comprising a housing, carriage, and/or shuttle that moves the electroadhesive gripper assembly along a vertical axis and along at least one horizontal axis. ### Claim 29 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the contact facing is releasably fixed to a facing surface of the electroadhesive gripper assembly. ### Claim 30 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the aerogel sheet has a major dimension of greater than 0.9 meter and less than 3 meters. ### Claim 31 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein substrate is a glass sheet having a major dimension of at least about 1 meter. ### Claim 32 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the aerogel sheet consists essentially of silica-based aerogel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on the substrate involves a pivoting application that initially positions only a portion of the aerogel sheet in contact with the substrate followed by positioning a remainder of the aerogel sheet in contact with the substrate. ### Claim 34 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said moving the electroadhesive gripper assembly together with the aerogel sheet so as to position the aerogel sheet on the substrate includes pressing the aerogel sheet forcibly against the substrate. ### Claim 35 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. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein each electrostatic gripper of the plurality of electroadhesive grippers is spaced apart from each other electrostatic gripper of the plurality of electroadhesive grippers. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein each contact facing of the plurality of contact facings has a rectangular shape. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the gripping surfaces are defined by silica-based aerogel. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the glass sheet is incorporated as part of a window, door, skylight, or other glazing.