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:
Jun. 02, 2020
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2019
GM Global Technology Operations Llc, Detroit, MI (US);
The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Diann Brei, Milford, MI (US);
Jonathan E. Luntz, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jesse Velleu, Mamaroneck, NY (US);
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided for object restraint including a trench; a pneumatic bending actuator (PBA), the PBA and the trench configured on the surface for clamping of the object to the surface; a part of the PBA constrained in the trench and a part of the PBA left unconstrained by the trench; a primary actuation mechanism for constraining in the trench the constrained part of the PBA to remain flat at the surface for resting the object on the surface, and for leaving the unconstrained part of the PBA configured as the curved segment to exert a clamping force to the object on the surface; and a secondary constraint mechanism to retain the constrained part of the PBA in the trench to prevent a portion of the constrained part of the PBA from exerting an upward force counter to the clamping of the unconstrained part of the PBA.