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:
Aug. 15, 2017
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2015
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Donald A. Merte, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Thomas Weiss, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, unknown;
Abstract
A clamping apparatus and method for maintaining a workpiece flatness during processing includes a base having a planar surface for receiving a first workpiece. Two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms are mounted to the base and include a clamp head at a distal end of a rod extending from a housing in removable overlapping relation to the first workpiece. Each set of the clamp heads are in opposing spaced relationship to each other defining a second workpiece area, and the clamp heads are configured to mate with a top surface of the first workpiece. A biasing member is coupled to each of the housings and apply a downward vertical force to the housings, rods, and the clamp heads for applying a downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece. The first workpiece is thereby discouraged from thermally expanding in a vertical direction and is thermally expandable horizontally along the planar surface.