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:
May. 04, 1993
Filed:
Sep. 16, 1992
Ted M Smith, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A system is provided for determining the presence, or absence of a component on the end of a vacuum pickup device. A monitor having a transparent body portion and plural air flow passageways is provided. An indicator is provided for each vacuum pickup device and contained within the air flow passageway intermediate a vacuum source and the vacuum pickup device. The position of the indicators within the flow passage is dependent upon the presence, or absence of a component on the end of the vacuum pickup device. With a component present on the pickup device, air flow through the passageway, due to the application of the vacuum source, is minimal and the indicator will be biased in a first direction. However, when a component is absent the pickup device, substantial air flow occurs through the passageway, thereby biasing the indicator in a second direction. In this manner, an operator can visually inspect the monitor of the present invention to determine if each vacuum pickup device has a component affixed thereto.