Fixture assembly
AssigneeArobotech Systems, Inc.
InventorRichard Lessway
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixture assembly may include a housing, a clamp assembly, and a drive mechanism. The clamp assembly may be movably mounted to the housing and may include a first clamp member and a second clamp member. The first and second clamp members may be linearly movable relative to the housing toward and away from each other. The drive mechanism may be coupled to the clamp assembly and the housing and may drive the clamp assembly relative to the housing such that the first clamp member moves linearly toward the second clamp member at a first speed in a first direction and the second clamp member moves linearly toward the first clamp member at a second speed in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The first speed may be different than the second speed.
Claims20
A fixture assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a clamp assembly movably mounted to the housing and including a first clamp member and a second clamp member, the first and second clamp members are linearly movable relative to the housing toward and away from each other;
- and
- a drive mechanism coupled to the clamp assembly and the housing and driving the clamp assembly relative to the housing such that the first clamp member moves linearly toward the second clamp member at a first speed in a first direction and the second clamp member moves linearly toward the first clamp member at a second speed in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, and wherein the first speed is different than the second speed.
A method of clamping a first tool and a second tool in a fixture assembly including a housing, a first clamp member and a second clamp member, the first and second tools having different outer diameters, the method comprising:
- driving the first and second clamp members relative to the housing and toward each other to clamp the first tool therebetween such that a centerline of the first tool is disposed at a given location relative to the housing;
- unclamping the first tool;
- and
- driving the first and second clamp members relative to the housing and toward each other to clamp the second tool therebetween such that a centerline of the second tool is disposed at the given location relative to the housing,
- wherein the first clamp member is disposed a first distance from the given location while the first tool is clamped between the first and second clamp members, and the second clamp member is disposed a second distance from the given location while the first tool is clamped between the first and second clamp members,
- wherein the first clamp member is disposed a third distance from the given location while the second tool is clamped between the first and second clamp members, and the second clamp member is disposed a fourth distance from the given location while the second tool is clamped between the first and second clamp members, and
- wherein a difference between the third and first distances is different than a difference between the fourth and second distances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.