Back to results
US 6,182,955 B2Granted
Grid-lock vacuum clamping system
OwnerAlvin Jay Kimbleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention is a modular vacuum clamping and part manipulation system designed to automate the loading, unloading and vacuum clamping (or holding by means of negative vacuum pressure) of a workpiece during the machining process. The system is designed in such a manner as to allow an end user with limited technical experience to assemble it to meet his/her specific manufacturing requirements and to, at a later date, modify or expand it into a system which has fully automated loading and unloading capabilities.
Claims5
An apparatus for supporting and chucking a workpiece comprising:
- a control bus;
- a plurality of planks in electrical contact with the control bus, each of said planks having an upper surface onto which a workpiece can be positioned;
- a vacuum source coupled to the planks;
- a linear array of addresses on each of the planks coupled to the vacuum source, each of said addresses responsive to signals transmitted from the control bus.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.