Object holding apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An object holding apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of holding pins;
a guide member retaining said holding pins so that said holding pins are freely movable in a direction projecting from said guide member and displaceable to a holding position where a shape formed by respective terminal ends of said holding pins as a result of contact of the holding pins with an object to be held, corresponds to a contour of said object to be held, said holding pins being constructed and arranged to contact said object in such a manner so as to not deform said object; and
restricting means for contacting the respective outer surface of the holding pins and restricting their displacement in the state where the holding pins are moved to said holding position by a frictional force between said holding pins and the restricting means,wherein the restricting means has a strap-like member for generating a frictional force between said holding pins and the restricting means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for holding an object includes a plurality of holding pins and restricting means for restricting displacement thereof. The holding pins are retained on a guide member in a manner movable in the direction projecting therefrom and are displaced to a holding position where the geometry formed by their respective terminal ends upon contact with an object to be held conforms to the contour of said object to be held. The restricting means contacts the outer side surface of the holding pins so as to restrict their movement in the state where the holding pins are displaced to the holding position.
48 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. An object holding apparatus comprising:
-
a plurality of holding pins; a guide member retaining said holding pins so that said holding pins are freely movable in a direction projecting from said guide member and displaceable to a holding position where a shape formed by respective terminal ends of said holding pins as a result of contact of the holding pins with an object to be held, corresponds to a contour of said object to be held, said holding pins being constructed and arranged to contact said object in such a manner so as to not deform said object; and restricting means for contacting the respective outer surface of the holding pins and restricting their displacement in the state where the holding pins are moved to said holding position by a frictional force between said holding pins and the restricting means, wherein the restricting means has a strap-like member for generating a frictional force between said holding pins and the restricting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An object holding apparatus comprising:
-
a plurality of holding pins; a guide member retaining said holding pins so that said holding pins are freely movable in a direction projecting from said guide member and displaceable to a holding position where a shape formed by respective terminal ends of said holding pins as a result of contact of the holing pins with an object to be held, corresponds to a contour of said object to be held; and restricting means for contacting respective outer surface of the holding pins and restricting their displacement in the state where the holding pins are moved to said holding position, said restricting means including a strap-like member for generating a frictional force between said holding pins and the restricting means, said plurality of holding pins being retained on the guide member where the geometry obtained by connecting said holding pins with said strip-like member defines a spiral-like configuration corresponding to said holding pins. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
Specification