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:
Nov. 15, 2016
Filed:
Mar. 24, 2015
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Jake Aspen Wilson, Charleston, SC (US);
Andrew Michael Huckey, Charleston, SC (US);
Mark Edward Nestleroad, Charleston, SC (US);
Craig Allen Charlton, Charleston, SC (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
Embodiments described herein provide a flexible electromagnetic clamp that may be utilized to provide an adjustable clamping force to a wide variety of non-planar surfaces. One embodiment comprises an electromagnetic clamp that includes a pair of electromagnetic members and a current source. The electromagnetic members are disposed on opposing sides of an assembly to be clamped. Each electromagnetic member includes a flexible bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings, an electrical winding wrapped around the bladder, and a flexible sleeve wrapped around the electrical winding and the bladder. The electrical winding generates a magnetic field across the bladder that is based on an applied current. The current source is electrically coupled to each electrical winding and controls a clamping force applied by the electromagnetic members to the assembly based on the applied current.