Other

Doorway Mfg. Co.

Robotics Automation Consulting Engineering Industries, Inc.

Synthetic Genomics, Inc.

Mark H Becker

Scott D Maynard

Laurence Warden

Scott Beaver

Stephen T Brightbill

Phillip L Poynor

Scott W Beaver

The invention provides a lid mechanism suitable for use with automated instrumentation. The lid mechanism has a compact design enabling it to function in very small spaces, and therefore on very compact instrumentation. One embodiment of the lid mechanism has a nut positioned around a jackscrew; a motor translationally attached to the nut for driving rotational motion of the nut around the jackscrew and vertical motion of the jackscrew; a main shaft positioned around the jackscrew with a bearing support positioned on the main shaft; a moving support comprising a bearing guide track and positioned on the main shaft so that the bearing support is positioned within the bearing guide track; and a lid plate positioned on the moving support so that vertical movement of the moving support causes vertical movement of the lid plate and rotational movement of the moving support causes rotational movement of the lid plate. Also provided is an automated laboratory instrument having a lid mechanism of the invention.

Lid mechanism

A power locking mechanism provides a structure for supporting a physically manipulable lock, and is in communication with a permanently installed switching connector fitting within the confines of an alternating current power socket typically found at the rear of a personal computer. The switching connector has a male portion which becomes a male locking portion with the addition of a locking clip member which positively engages the alternating current socket of a computer, an intermediate portion containing circuitry to insure proper switched on and off operation, and a female socket portion for interfitting with the end of the power cord which was previously used to connect into the alternating power socket. As such, installation of the device of the invention involves removing the power cord computer plug from the computer's power input socket, inserting the male portion of the switching connector into the socket and inserting the power cord plug into the female portion of the switching connector of the invention. Locking is achieved with a flared engagement member which fits into an indentation on the male portion of the switching connector. The clip member of one embodiment is removable in order that the switching connector be tested in place, before insertion to commit to permanent connect status.

Personal computer power locking mechanism

The can crusher herein is a pedal, and optionally arm powered, safe, can folding crusher which is vertically hopper fed. An optional flywheel stores mechanical energy during periods of non-maximum power demand to enable the crushing process to proceed with an even application of power. The form of the can folding crusher is that of an exercise bicycle having a horizontal ram which engages cans in a first stroke to prepare the can to be creased into a folded relationship, and in a second stroke in which the folding crushing occurs. The exit chamber is barely the diameter of an adult finger, and is designed to have a length which prohibits both adult and child fingers and hands from reaching any point near the crushing chamber. The feed hopper is adjustable for a variety of lengths of cans, and the seat is adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of human power providers.

Human powered can flattening machine

An insertion tool to be interfaced with a turret-type punch press, or the like, to insert fasteners, such as captive or clinch nuts, into holes in a sheet metal workpiece. The tool includes a canister assembly having a plurality of guide rods on which the captive nuts are stacked. The nuts are loaded from the guide rods into respective holes in a rotatable planetary gear of the canister assembly so that successive ones of said nuts can be axially aligned with an exit opening of the canister assembly to be forcibly ejected therethrough by a punch assembly. The punch assembly and planetary gear are moved relative to the exit opening by a reciprocating cam enclosure which is connected to the punch assembly and to which an impact force is applied from the press. The reciprocating movement of the cam enclosure is transferred to the planetary gear to rotate said gear by way of a motion translating assembly including a rotatable cam that is coupled to and rotated by said cam enclosure.

Captive nut insertion tool

A conveyor for conveying a board into a zone wherein it is desirable to register the board in a longitudinal sense. A mechanism for conveying the board comprises two endless conveying elements spaced transversely, each mounting an endless series of pads. The board fits between two pads behind it and two pads ahead of it. A mechanism for registering the board comprises two elements spaced tranversely and arranged to be normally removed from and selectively insertable into the path of the board. In different arrangements, the elements are vertically insertable from above such path and pivotally biased, vertically insertable from below and longitudinally biased, or rotatably insertable from below and rotatably biased.

Board conveyor

An improved method for forming holes in a board and an improved apparatus for practicing the improved method. Two or three linear arrays of holes are punched through the board, through its expansive faces, in a punching zone. A punch and a die coacting with the punch are used to punch each punched hole, in a press comprising a pressing ram and a pressing bed, upon relative movement of the pressing ram and the pressing bed toward each other. The board is registered in the pressing zone, in a predetermined position, by engaging its opposite edges and its opposite ends. Plural holes are drilled into each end of the board in a drilling zone. A physical measurement is conducted in an inspecting zone, by inserting a probe into each drilled hole, so as to determine whether such drilled hole has been drilled to a minimum depth. These punching, drilling, and inspecting steps of the improved method are carried out in a series of automated operations of the improved apparatus.

Method and apparatus for forming holes in wood board or the like

A tapping attachment for threading a relatively large number of holes through a sheet metal part at a relatively low cost per hole. The tapping attachment includes a thrust bearing assembly which is aligned with a turret-type punch press or the like and movable in response to an axially directed force generated by the punch press. The axially directed force applied from the press to the thrust bearing assembly is transferred to a spline shaft. The spline shaft is rotated wihin and moved linearly relative to a screw threaded roller nut, whereby the axially directed force is converted into a rotating force for advancing and turning a tap at high speeds of rotation. A nitrogen reservoir is provided so that a supply of gas is available for returning the thrust bearing assembly and the spline shaft to their initial positions in order that a new hole can be tapped in response to another axially directed force. Also provided is an oil reservoir so that a supply of oil is available for lubricating and cooling the tap via an oil spout.

Growing community of inventors

Vista, CA, United States of America

Mark H Becker