Reconfigurable clamp and method of use thereof
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsRobin Stevenson, Ivan G. Sears, Richard J. Skurkis, Jeff Dellach, Mike Vainstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reconfigurable clamp is provided, where the clamp includes: a clamp body including a plurality of through holes formed within the clamp body; a plurality of movable pins which slidably fit within the through holes in the clamp body; wherein the movable pins incorporate a tapered section to facilitate locking of the movable pins; and wherein the clamp is reconfigurable by movement of the pins to conform to a surface geometry of an object of arbitrary shape through contact with that object. The clamped surface is represented as a series of discrete points corresponding to the ends of the plurality of pins.
Claims16
A reconfigurable clamp comprising:
- a clamp body including a plurality of through holes formed within said clamp body;
- a plurality of movable pins which slidably fit within said through holes in said clamp body, each of said movable pins being lockable in respective positions along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the movable pins;
- wherein said movable pins each incorporate a tapered section along a length of each of said respective movable pins;
- a locking element configured to interact with the tapered section of at least two of said movable pins to facilitate locking of said respective movable pins;
- and
- wherein said clamp is reconfigurable by movement of said movable pins to conform to a surface geometry of an object of arbitrary shape through contact with said object.
A reconfigurable clamp comprising:
- a clamp body including a plurality of through holes formed within said clamp body;
- a plurality of movable pins which slidably fit within said through holes in said clamp body, each of said movable pins being lockable in respective positions along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the movable pins;
- wherein said movable pins each incorporate a tapered section along a length of each of said respective movable pins;
- a locking element configured to interact with the tapered section of at least one of said movable pins to facilitate locking of said movable pins;
- an actuator incorporating a tapered portion in a direction parallel to a centerline of said clamp body;
- said actuator being selectively movable in first and second directions with respect to the clamp body;
- wherein said locking element is trapped substantially between said tapered section of at least one of said movable pins and said tapered portion of said actuator when said movable pins are locked;
- wherein said locking element is substantially spherical;
- and
- wherein said clamp is reconfigurable by movement of said movable pins to conform to a surface geometry of an object of arbitrary shape through contact with said object.
A reconfigurable clamp comprising:
- a clamp body having a centerline, wherein said clamp body includes a plurality of through holes formed within said clamp body, and wherein said clamp body defines an aperture substantially perpendicular to said centerline;
- a plurality of movable pins which slidably fit within said through holes in said clamp body, said movable pins being lockable in a position along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said movable pin, wherein said movable pins each incorporate a tapered section along a length of each of said respective movable pins to facilitate locking of said movable pins;
- an actuator incorporating a tapered portion in a direction parallel to said centerline of said clamp body, said actuator being selectively movable in first and second directions with respect to the clamp body, wherein said actuator has a generally conical shape;
- and
- a locking element substantially contained within said aperture of said clamp body and having a locking spring connected to said locking element, wherein said locking element is urged towards said centerline of said clamp body by said locking spring, and is trapped substantially between said tapered section of at least one of said movable pins and said tapered portion of said actuator when said movable pins are locked, and wherein said clamp is reconfigurable by movement of said movable pins to conform to a surface geometry of an object of arbitrary shape through contact with said object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.