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US 5,177,857 AGranted
Method for holding an object to a surface using valve controlled vacuum force
AssigneeFSK Co., Ltd.
InventorHirotsugu Ito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique of holding an object, wherein an object (10) to be held is placed on a holding surface (3) having a plurality of suction holes (4), each of which has a valve (6) therein which is operated in accordance with the difference between the pressure in the upper or outer space and the pressure in the lower or inner space demarcated by the valve (6). The valve (6) is opened by utilizing the phenomena that such pressure difference in those suction holes (4) closed by the object (10) becomes smaller, whereas the valves (6) are closed by utilizing the phenomena that such pressure difference in those suction holes (4) which are not closed by the object (10) and remain open becomes greater, to thereby prevent reduction of the suction force to be exerted on the object (10).
Claims10
A method for holding an object to a surface, comprising:
- providing a holding surface for receiving an object to be held thereon, said holding surface having a plurality of suction holes therein;
- providing a vacuum source coupled to said suction holes for applying a suction force to said suction holes, said vacuum source comprising a vacuum chamber below said suction holes;
- providing valve means in each of said suction holes, said valve means being located between an outer space above said holding surface and said vacuum source, said valve means each being operable in accordance with a pressure difference between said outer space above said holding surface and an inner space within said vacuum source, and said valve means comprising a flexible resilient valve member arranged above a valve seat, said flexible resilient valve member comprising a peripheral leg member for normally spacing said flexible valve member away from said valve seat, and said flexible valve member being flexibly movable toward and away from said valve seat responsive to said pressure difference;
- biasing, with a biasing force, said respective flexible valve members resiliently away from said respective valve seats to place said valve means in an open position whereby communication is provided between said outer space above said holding surface and said inner space within said vacuum source via said valve means and said suction holes;
- maintaining said valve means in said open position when said pressure difference in suction holes that are closed or covered by an object becomes smaller than a predetermined value;
- and
- closing said valve means to stop communication between said vacuum source and said outer space above said holding surface when a pressure difference in suction holes that are not closed by the object and that remain open becomes greater than a predetermined value;
- thereby preventing loss of suction force to be exerted on the object due to loss through open suction holes.
5 more elements
A method for holding an object to a surface, said method comprising:
- providing a holding surface for receiving an object to be held thereon, said holding surface having a plurality of suction holes therein;
- providing a vacuum source coupled to said suction holes for applying a suction force to said suction holes, said vacuum source comprising a vacuum chamber below said suction holes;
- providing valve means in each of said suction holes, said valve means being located between an outer space above said holding surface and said vacuum source, said valve means each being operable in accordance with a pressure difference between said outer space above said holding surface and an inner space within said vacuum source, and said valve means comprising a flexible resilient valve member arranged above a valve seat, said flexible resilient valve member comprising a peripheral leg member for normally spacing said flexible valve member away from said valve seat, said flexible valve member further comprising a central projection member for selectively seating against said valve seat, and said flexible valve member being flexibly movable toward and away from said valve seat responsive to said pressure difference;
- biasing, with a biasing force, said respective flexible valve members resiliently away from said respective valve seats to place said valve means in an open position whereby communication is provided between said outer space above said holding surface and said inner space within said vacuum source via said valve means and said suction holes;
- maintaining said valve means in said open position when said pressure difference in suction holes that are closed or covered by an object becomes smaller than a predetermined value;
- and
- closing said valve means to stop communication between said vacuum source and said outer space above said holding surface when a pressure difference in suction holes that are not closed by the object and that remain open becomes greater than a predetermined value;
- thereby preventing loss of suction force to be exerted on the object due to loss through open suction holes.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.