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US 2016/0107319 A1Published application
Manufacturing vacuum tool
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsPatrick Conall Regan, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chih-Chi Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for a vacuum tool having a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.
Claims20
A vacuum tool comprising:
- a plurality of vacuum distributors, each of the plurality of vacuum distributors coupled to a vacuum generator, each of the plurality of vacuum distributors comprising an interior top surface, an exterior top surface, an interior side surface, and an exterior side surface;
- a plurality of plates, each of the plurality of plates coupled to a respective vacuum distributor of the plurality of vacuum distributors, wherein each of the plurality of plates includes an interior plate surface, an exterior plate surface, and at least one aperture extending through the interior plate surface and the exterior plate surface;
- and
- a plurality of vacuum distribution cavities formed in the plurality of vacuum distributors, respectively,
- wherein the plurality of vacuum distributors are independently operable, such that each of the plurality of vacuum distributors may provide an independent vacuum force.
2 more elements
A vacuum tool comprising:
- a first vacuum distributor having a first vacuum distribution cavity;
- a first vacuum generator coupled to the first vacuum distributor;
- a second vacuum distributor having a second vacuum distribution cavity;
- a second vacuum generator coupled to the second vacuum distributor;
- and
- a plate coupled to the first vacuum distributor and the second vacuum distributor, the plate comprising a first discrete coplanar portion proximate the first vacuum distribution cavity and a second discrete coplanar portion proximate the second vacuum distribution cavity, the first and second discrete coplanar portions each including at least one aperture extending therethrough,
- wherein the first vacuum generator produces a first vacuum in the first vacuum distribution cavity that is applied through the at least one aperture of the first discrete coplanar portion,
- wherein the second vacuum generator produces a second vacuum in the second vacuum distribution cavity that is applied through the at least one aperture of the second discrete coplanar portion, and
- wherein the first vacuum generator and the second vacuum generator are independently operable, such that the first and second vacuum generators may each provide an independent vacuum force.
6 more elements
A method of operating a vacuum tool, the method comprising:
- activating a first plate portion of the vacuum tool coupled to a first vacuum generator, the first plate portion having at least one aperture extending therethrough, wherein activating the first plate portion results in a vacuum force being applied through the at least one aperture of the first plate portion;
- and
- activating a second plate portion of the vacuum tool coupled to a second vacuum generator, the second plate portion having at least one aperture extending therethrough, wherein activating the second plate portion results in a vacuum force being applied through the at least one aperture of the second plate portion,
- wherein the first plate portion and the second plate portion each form a material manipulating surface, and
- wherein the first vacuum generator and the second vacuum generator are independently operable to generate independent vacuum forces through the respective first plate portion and second plate portion.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.