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. 10, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 03, 2004
Sridhar Kota, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Joel A. Hetrick, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Sridhar Kota, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Joel A. Hetrick, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
FlexSys, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
Variation in the contours of first and second compliant surfaces is produced by a compliant frame having a first resiliently variable frame element () having a corresponding first outer surface () and a first inner surface (), and a second resiliently variable frame element () having a corresponding second outer surface () and a second inner surface (). The first and second outer surfaces () communicate with respective ones of the first and second compliant surfaces. A linkage element (-) having a predetermined resilience characteristic is coupled at a first end thereof to the first inner surface () and at a second end thereof to the second inner surface (). A frame coupler () couples the first resiliently variable frame element () to a support element (). An actuator () applies a force to the second resiliently variable frame element () with respect to the support element (150), resulting in a corresponding variation in the contour of the first and second compliant surfaces.