Ashley Furniture Industries Inc.

Cryovac, Inc.

Roger Jeffrey Anderson

William Robert Webb

Siddarth Sreeram

Bradley Keith Powell

Bradley Neal Daley

A gripping tool includes a vacuum manifold, a flexible membrane, and vacuum channels coupled in parallel between the vacuum manifold and the flexible membrane. Each of the vacuum channels includes a compliant conduit, a vacuum check valve, and suction cup. The vacuum check valve is biased to a closed condition and is configured to toggle from the closed condition to an open condition when a vacuum source applies a vacuum in the vacuum manifold and the suction cup of that vacuum channel is engaged by the object. Each of the check valves independently toggles between the closed condition and the open condition such that, when a vacuum is drawn in the vacuum manifold, the vacuum is maintained in the vacuum manifold and in the compliant conduits of the vacuum channels that have engaged suction cups.

Vacuum-based gripping tool

An upholstered component, such as panels, assembled onto a furniture frame or a chair mechanism by way of a connection system provides a robust connection and economical manufacturing process. The connection includes a T-nut and a spacer attached on opposite sides of a wood form to be upholstered. The threaded barrel of the T-nut inserted in a hole through the wood form and with T-nut prongs embedding into a surface of the side of the wood form that will be facing outwardly on the furniture. The spacer is inserted into the hole at the opposite side of the wood form and is retained therein by an interference fit. The wood form is upholstered and is then attached to the furniture frame or mechanism with a bolt connecting to the furniture frame or mechanism and then extending through the spacer, into the hole and into the threaded barrel of the T-nut.

Growing community of inventors

Mooresville, NC, United States of America

Roger Jeffrey Anderson