Eastman-kodak Company

Other

James A White

Michael Edgar Long

Joseph E Stagnitto

Camiel J Raes

Thomas W Palone

Joseph E Yokajty

Gopalan Rajeswaran

Eric M Leonard

Michael A Howey

Charles W Largent

A method for making a shadow mask array is taught. Producing a plurality of shadow mask sections; inspecting the plurality of shadow mask sections to determine which shadow mask sections are acceptable as meeting predetermined criteria; positioning a predetermined number of the acceptable mask sections into predetermined locations relative to one another to form a mask section array thereby distributing any error in individual mask sections across the mask section array; and attaching the individual mask sections of the mask section array to a support structure. The support structure allows for expansion and/or contraction of the individual mask sections of the mask section array while maintaining relative positioning of the individual shadow mask section in the shadow mask array. The support structure further allows for compliance of the shadow mask array in a direction normal to the plane of the shadow mask array thereby allowing for a substantially planar interface between the shadow mask array and a substrate to be coated.

Method and apparatus for making a shadow mask array

A work piece holding mechanism which provides multi position part holding capability to automatically sequentially hold and present a work pieces in multiple orientations for work thereon. The work piece holding mechanism includes two rotatable clamp means for clamping the work piece therebetween. Rotation of at least one of the rotary clamps is driven by a rotary drive mechanism, preferably a rotary air cylinder. The rotary air cylinder is provided with at least one fixed rotational stop. In addition, the rotary air cylinder may be provided with one or more actuatable intermediate stops. Rotation of the work piece can be accomplished by driving the rotary air cylinder to a predetermined position against either a fixed stop or an actuatable stop. Each of such stop positions results in a different orientation of the work piece and thus a different work plane on which the robot can operate. Loading of the work piece into the holding mechanism can be performed automatically by the robot with the robot controller also commanding the opposing clamps of the work holder to engage the work piece. Similarly, removal of the work piece from the holding mechanism can be automatically performed with the robot and robot controller.

Multi position part holder for robotic applications

An end effector system adapted to be used for robotic tooling applications which allows the end effector to be used to acquire parts by vacuum pick-up or grasping. A vacuum type end effector is provided at the end of each of two robotic tooling fingers. Each vacuum type end effector includes a flexible bellows member on the end thereof such that it can be used for vacuum acquisition. Extending down from each finger to reside adjacent a respective bellows is a pinch member. Through robotic control of the movement of the fingers, finger gripping can be accomplished to grip an object between the two bellows using the pinch members for lateral support. As the part is captured between the two bellows, each bellows is compressed against its respective pinch member. In such manner, the bellows are at least partially collapsed such that a vacuum sensor located in the vacuum supply line to the bellows registers that a vacuum is present and, thus, a part has been acquired. That same vacuum sensor allows the robot to know when a part has been acquired by the bellows in the typical vacuum-type pick-up arrangement.

Universal end effector for robotic applications

A tool attachment and release system for robotic arms which using a magnet for supplying the attractive force to hold the tool to the robotic arm while allowing separation of tools from the robotic arm without manual intervention. A series of tools are held at predetermined locations in a tool rack allowing the robot to automatically deposit therein or acquire therefrom a particular tool. Permanent magnets are mounted between steel inserts in the tool attachment block. The steel insert are used to direct and concentrate magnetic flux to the tool attachment surface and also to each of two shunt bar contact surfaces. During the attach and disconnect operations, magnetic flux shunt bars are placed in close proximity to the two shunt bar contact surfaces to thereby provide an alternative path for the magnetic flux. This greatly reduces but does not eliminate the attractive force between the tool adapter plate and the attachment block. This results in a relatively easy disconnect of a particular tool with its associated adapter plate thus allowing a simple, inexpensive, low force capability device to be used for controlling the disconnect process. However, there will remain enough residual attractive force to keep the adapter plate from falling off of the attachment block in an uncontrolled manner.

Tool attachment and release device for robotic arms

Method and apparatus for removing temporary longitudinal wrinkles (29) from a thin or ultra-thin moving web (11) in a web conveyance machine by bending the web through preferably at least 90 degrees around a cylindrical small-radius air bar (13, 35, 39, 61, 63, 65, 73, 79) and for preventing permanent creases from forming in the web by disposing the air bar with the wrinkle-free web in close proximity to the surface of a contact roller (33, 53, 67, 71) and transferring the moving web across a gap (62) of preferably 1 mm or less between the air bar and the contact roller.

Method and apparatus for preventing creases in thin webs

An apparatus having short range motion for gripping and releasing an object utilizes a programmable stepper motor for controlling various short stroke motions of the gripper. Gears associated with each of the at least one gripper jaws supported on a carrier shaft engage a common ring gear that is driven by drive means including the stepper motor which imparts synchronous motion of the grippers for opening and closing about the object.

Apparatus and method having short linear motion for grasping objects

A tool rack support system which includes leaf spring type flexures which allow the tool rack a measure of compliance in both the horizontal and vertical planes. The support system comprises preferably two flexure support assemblies with each assembly preferably including two cantilevered, horizontally oriented, planar flexures and two cantilevered, vertically oriented, substantially planar flexures which are ultimately supported from the distal end of the horizontally oriented, planar flexures. The vertically oriented, planar flexures give the support system a measure of compliance which allows the tool rack to be moved discretely in the horizontal plane as a result of a robotic arm acquiring or delivering a tool to the tool rack. The horizontally oriented, substantially planar flexures of the support system give the support assembly vertical compliancy to allow the tool rack to be moved discretely in the vertical direction as a result of a robotic arm acquiring or delivering a tool from the tool rack. Travel stops are provided to limit the amount of vertical travel which can be imparted to be horizontally oriented, planar flexures.

Self-aligning tool holder for use with robotic arms

A method for determining if a robot gripper assembly (preferably servo controlled) has acquired a work piece wherein the robot gripper assembly includes at least two opposing fingers comprising the steps of commanding the robot gripper assembly to close the two opposing fingers to a predetermined position to acquire the work piece, the predetermined position being less than or different than the expected work piece dimension; quantifying the movement of the two opposing fingers when the closing step has been completed; comparing the actual position to the predetermined position to determine a position error; and recognizing that a work piece has been acquired by the two opposing fingers if the position error is not zero indicating that the interference of the work piece between the two opposing fingers has prevented the two opposing fingers from achieving the predetermined position.

System for determining part presence and grip pressure for a robotic

An apparatus and method having short stroke motion for gripping and releasing an object utilizes a programmable stepper motor for controlling various short stroke, generally arcuate motions of the gripper. Gears associated with each of the at least one gripper jaws supported on a carrier shaft engage a common ring gear that is driven by drive means including the stepper motor which imparts synchronous motion of the grippers for opening and closing about the object.

Apparatus and method having short stroke arcuate motion for grasping

Knives (28, 30, 122) are held in tangential, resilient (106, 108) or fixed (132, 136) contact with a surface of an air bar (12-20) or air table (142); so that a web (26) moving on a cushion of air (46) over the air bar or table is cleanly slit into webs (32, 34, 36) of smaller width.

Apparatus and method for slitting thin webs

A variable dwell cycloidal indexing device for converting a uniform rotational motion into intermittent rotational motion with greater than one predetermined dwell point. The device includes an input shaft having an axis of rotation with a stub shaft extending eccentrically from a distal end of the input shaft. A planetary gear is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft. There is an internal gear rotatably supported on the input shaft and mounted coaxially therewith with the planetary gear intermeshing with said internal gear. A crank pin projects from the planetary gear at a position eccentric to the axis of rotation of the planetary gear. The motion of the crank pin during rotation of the input shaft is defined by allowing the crank pin to oscillate in a slide slot at a fixed location, or by attaching the crank pin to a pivoting link which is, in turn, attached to a fixed point. In either case, rotation of the planetary gear about its own axis is limited. The number of dwell points is determined by the gear ratio between the internal gear and the planetary gear.

Variable dwell cycloidal indexing device

A clamping device for clamping a punch block to a jaw of a punch press assembly where the action of clamping does not disturb the alignment between the punch block and the die. The device includes a pair of cams residing in a stacked relationship with each of the cams having a tapered aperture therethrough. A bolt passes through the tapered apertures of both cams and through a bore in the jaw to engage a threaded orifice in the punch block. Each of the cams has a generally cylindrical cam surface with a flat formed therein. Once the punch block is properly aligned with the die, the bolt is lightly tightened with the flats of the two cams in planar abutment with one another such that the cylindrical axes of the cams are separated by a first distance. The cams are then rotated with the lower one of the cams rolling on the surface of the jaw. Rotation of the cams moves the flats out of abutment with one another such that the axes of the cams become separated by a second distance which is greater than the first distance causing the upper one of the cams to bear against the head of the bolt thereby placing the bolt in tension while imparting no substantial force perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the bolt.

Cam Actuated clamping tool

Equipment (10) for packaging a plurality of articles (1) has a rotatable drum (12) for supporting the articles (1) in one of a plurality of spaced through openings (14) along the circumferential portion (22) of the drum (12). First and second sources (30,32) of first and second webs (16,18), respectively, supplies the webs sequentially under continuous tension towards one of the plurality of through openings (14). By passing the webs (16,18) through respective serpentine paths (28,30) prior to delivery to one of the plurality of through openings (14) provide the desired continuous tensioning level on the webs (16,18). An article dispenser (40) is provided to dispense one of the plurality of articles (1) into one of the plurality of through openings (14) when one of the first and second webs (16,18) generally covers the through opening (14) forming a seat for article 1. Thereafter, and in sequence, the other of the first and second webs (16,18) overwraps the article (1) seated in the through opening (14). A sealing means (46) is provided to sea the webs (16,18) about the article forming a packaged article. A punch means (150) cooperating with the drum (12) is employed to relieve the packaged articles in sequence from the through openings (14).

Packaging equipment

A method of packaging an article includes tensioning first and second webs enveloping an article seated in one of a plurality of through openings. The webs are sequentially supplied to at least one through opening and the article to be packaged is, in sequence, inserted between the first and second webs. Once the article is generally overwrapped by the first and second webs, overhanging portions of webs about the article are sealed thereby forming a packaged article. The packaged article is then relieved from the through opening by preferably cutting or punching it through the opening.

Method of packaging an article

Apparatus for providing a variable angular velocity coupling between an input shaft (52, 78) and an output shaft (71, 138) includes a fixed frame (72, 74, 76); a first hearing (80) for mounting the input shaft for rotation relative to the fixed frame; a second bearing (140) for mounting the output shaft for rotation relative to the fixed frame; a pair of conjugate cams (48, 50; 82, 84) mounted to the fixed frame, concentric with the input shaft: a first cam follower (54, 60; 114, 118) pivotably supported (64, 66; 90, 92, 98, 100, 102, 104) by the input shaft for engaging a first of the cams; a second cam follower (56, 58; 116, 120) pivotably supported by the input shaft for engaging a second of the cams; a first link (68, 122) extended between the first and second cam followers to cause the followers to move in tandem in response to rotation of the input shaft relative to the cams: an radially extended output arm (70, 136) supported by the output shaft; and a second link (72, 74; 132, 134) extended between at least one of the cam followers and the output arm to rotate the output shaft in response to rotation of the input shaft, the cams having profiles (50; 148, 150, 152) to cause a relative angular displacement between the input and output shafts, thereby creating a sinusoidally varying angular velocity of the output shaft over a portion of each revolution in response to a constant angular velocity of the input shaft.

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Conesus, NY, United States of America

James A White