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:
Apr. 12, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 29, 2010
Kellar Autumn, Portland, OR (US);
Wendy R. Hansen, Berkeley, CA (US);
Kellar Autumn, Portland, OR (US);
Wendy R. Hansen, Berkeley, CA (US);
Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for transporting an object from one workstation to another, where the object or workstations may be contaminated with unwanted dirt or dust particles. A movable transfer arm connected to a control unit has an end effector including an array of nano-scale projections, where each projection provides one or more distal contact ends. The density of the contact ends is such as to grip a surface of the object with an intermolecular force sufficient to hold the object for movement in accordance with a control unit program. In accordance with a control unit program, after moving the gripped object to the workstation, the end effector is manipulated to release the gripped object, and before, during or after transport of the object, bring the arm's end effector into contact with a cleaning surface.