Reconfigurable clamp for a flexible manufacturing system
First Claim
1. A reconfigurable clamp, comprising:
- a reconfigurable contact portion comprising a body, a sleeve disposed within the body, a pin disposed in sliding engagement with the sleeve, and an opening in transverse communication with the sleeve, wherein the pin comprises a head, a shaft comprising an engageable portion extending from the head, and a compression spring in operative communication with the shaft and the body; and
a linear slide portion comprising a movable body and a rod extending from the movable body;
wherein one end of the rod is slidably mounted in the opening and comprises a geometry complementary to the engageable portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reconfigurable clamp for providing support for a variety of different body panel configurations employed in the vehicle assembly without requiring manual adjustment or reprogramming. The clamp includes an adjustable contact portion comprising a plurality of pins slidably engaged within sleeves formed in a body portion. The pins include a head portion and a shaft portion extending from the head portion, wherein the shaft portion has an engageable portion. The clamp further comprises a plurality of slidably mounted rods disposed generally transverse to the movement of the pins within the sleeves. The slidably mounted rods have a complementary engageable portion that lockingly engages the engageable portion of the shaft portion upon contact therewith to selectively prevent further movement of the pins within the sleeves, such as may be desired once a workpiece is loaded onto the clamp.
28 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A reconfigurable clamp, comprising:
-
a reconfigurable contact portion comprising a body, a sleeve disposed within the body, a pin disposed in sliding engagement with the sleeve, and an opening in transverse communication with the sleeve, wherein the pin comprises a head, a shaft comprising an engageable portion extending from the head, and a compression spring in operative communication with the shaft and the body; and
a linear slide portion comprising a movable body and a rod extending from the movable body;
wherein one end of the rod is slidably mounted in the opening and comprises a geometry complementary to the engageable portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A reconfigurable clamp system, comprising:
-
a support comprising a reconfigurable contact portion comprising a body, a sleeve disposed within the body, a pin disposed in sliding engagement with the sleeve, and an opening in transverse communication with the sleeve, wherein the pin comprises a head, a shaft comprising an engageable portion extending from the head, and a compression spring in operative communication with the shaft and the body, and a linear slide portion comprising a movable body, and a rod extending from the movable body, wherein one end of the rod is slidably mounted in the opening and comprises a geometry complementary to the engageable portion; and
a member in operative communication with the support. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A process for clamping a workpiece, the process comprising:
-
loading a first workpiece onto a reconfigurable clamp, wherein the reconfigurable clamp comprises a reconfigurable contact portion comprising a body, a sleeve disposed within the body, a pin disposed in sliding engagement with the sleeve, and an opening in transverse communication with the sleeve, wherein the pin comprises a head, a shaft comprising an engageable portion extending from the head, and a compression spring in operative communication with the shaft and the body, and a linear slide portion comprising a movable body, and a rod extending from the movable body, wherein one end of the rod is slidably mounted in the opening and comprises a geometry complementary to the engageable portion;
compressing the pin to conform substantially to a surface contour of the first workpiece;
moving the movable body in an amount and direction effective to advance the rod to lockingly engage the engageable portion; and
applying a member to a backside of the first workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification