The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 2018
Filed:
Feb. 06, 2017
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Goce Petrovski, Epping, AU;
Andrew Klimovski, Doncaster East, AU;
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for carrying plies of material. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes an end effector of a robot. The apparatus includes a frame, and a fixed cup assembly that is attached to the frame. The fixed cup assembly includes a suction cup for holding a ply, a pneumatic line, and a shaft that is coupled with the suction cup and that houses the pneumatic line, the shaft enabling the suction cup to translate vertically. The apparatus also includes floating cup assemblies. Each floating cup assembly includes a Bernoulli cup, a pneumatic line applying positively pressurized gas to the Bernoulli cup, a shaft that is coupled with the Bernoulli cup and that houses the pneumatic line, the shaft enabling the Bernoulli cup to translate vertically, and a bearing that enables the Bernoulli cup to pivot about an end of the shaft to conform with a surface.