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:
Dec. 13, 2016
Filed:
Feb. 11, 2014
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US);
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Stanford, CA (US);
Aaron Parness, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Brett A. Kennedy, Pasadena, CA (US);
Matthew C Heverly, Pasadena, CA (US);
Mark R. Cutkosky, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Elliot Wright Hawkes, Tallahassee, FL (US);
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Pasadena, CA (US);
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, Stanford, CA (US);
Abstract
Novel gripping structures based on van der Waals adhesive forces are disclosed. Pads covered with fibers can be activated in pairs by opposite forces, thereby enabling control of the adhesive force in an ON or OFF state. Pads can be used in groups, each comprising a group of opposite pads. The adhesive structures enable anchoring forces that can resist adverse forces from different directions. The adhesive structures can be used to enable the operation of robots on surfaces of space vehicles.