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:
Jul. 08, 2008
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2004
Douglas K. Lawson, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
Douglas K. Lawson, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
ATI Industrial Automation, Inc., Apex, NC (US);
Abstract
The non-axial force exerted on a pneumatic tool by a non-axial air supply is balanced to allow for uniformly radially distributed compliance forces on the tool. An annular air ring is disposed around the pneumatic tool, covering an air inlet port. Air is supplied by any route to a first air passage that supplies the air to the interior of the annular air ring, exerting a force on the annular air ring. Air flows in the annular space of the air ring, entering the tool air inlet port to drive the pneumatic tool. One or more second air passages are connected to the annular air ring in an even radial distribution. Each second air passage is connected to the air source, or terminates in an air blockage, creating a column of pressurized air that exerts a force on the annular air ring equal to the first air passage. The forces exerted on the air ring are thus balanced with respect to the axis of the tool.