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US 8,912,872 B2Granted
Clamp assembly including permanent magnets and coils for selectively magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnets
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBranko Sarh, Daniela Lucia Rus, Andrew Dominic Marchese
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clamp assembly comprises a first clamp including a plurality of magnet devices. Each magnet device includes a permanent magnet and a coil surrounding the permanent magnet. The clamp assembly further comprises a controller for pulsing the coils to selectively magnetize and demagnetize the permanent magnets.
Claims15
A clamp assembly for clamping a stack having a first surface and a second surface, the clamp assembly comprising:
- a first clamp including a plurality of magnet devices, each magnet device including a permanent magnet and a coil surrounding the permanent magnet;
- a controller for pulsing the coils to selectively magnetize and demagnetize the permanent magnets;
- and
- a second clamp generally opposite the first clamp that forms an air gap with at least one of the permanent magnets of the first clamp, the second clamp providing a flux path between at least two of the plurality of magnet devices,
- wherein the first clamp is configured to be positioned against the first surface of the stack;
- wherein the second clamp is configured to be positioned against the second surface of the stack;
- and
- wherein the air gap is configured to receive the stack.
5 more elements
A system for clamping a stack, the system comprising:
- a robot end effector including a plurality of magnet devices about a process axis, each magnet device including a permanent magnet and a coil surrounding the permanent magnet;
- a controller for pulsing the coils to selectively magnetize and demagnetize the permanent magnets;
- and
- a flux-conducting structure that forms an air gap with at least one of the magnet devices, the flux-conducting structure providing a flux path between at least two of the plurality of magnet devices,
- wherein the air gap is configured to receive the stack between the plurality of magnet devices and the flux-conducting structure.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.