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:
Aug. 06, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1998
Paul D. Terpstra, Janesville, WI (US);
Gilman Engineering & Manufacturing Co., LLC, Janesville, WI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for picking and placing an object is disclosed. The apparatus includes an elongated frame, first and second carriages slidingly engaged with the frame, first and second connecting rods pivotally engaged with the first carriage at one end and at least a third connecting rod pivotally engaged with the second carriage at one end, and a gripper pivotally and operatively attached to the connecting rods at their other ends. The method of operation includes moving the gripper in a first direction (upwardly) by sliding the first and second carriages away from each other along the frame, moving the gripper in a second direction (laterally), perpendicular to the first direction, by sliding the first and second carriages together along the frame in the same direction, and moving, the gripper in a third direction (downwardly), opposite to the first direction, by sliding the first and second carriages toward each other along the frame.