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:
Dec. 26, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 18, 1999
Thomas Carl Bodiker, II, Engelwood, OH (US);
John Philip Hollowell, Fremont, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A self-aligning end effector is mounted to a robot for transferring a magnetic read/write head from a feeder to an assembly fixture. The robot positions the end effector above the head. A hollow needle extends from the end effector adjacent to the head. A vacuum is applied through the needle to draw the head to the end of the needle and the end effector is lifted away from the feeder. As the robot moves the end effector toward the assembly fixture, a nest with an alignment locator is lowered onto the head. The locator has tapered sides for orienting the head in a precise alignment. An upper surface of the head seats against a flat surface when it is aligned. The vacuum holds the head on the end effector throughout this operation. The nest is then withdrawn from the head so that it is again located on the end of the needle. When the end effector is located above the assembly fixture, the head is released into the assembly fixture by turning off the vacuum.
Data source: USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) public patent records. Weekly synchronization. How IDiyas builds this profile