Pick-and-place tool for vacuum and magnetic coupling
First Claim
1. A pick-and-place apparatus, comprising:
- a base having a first end and a second end;
a vacuum coupler, said vacuum coupler including a first tubular member and a second tubular member, and a first vacuum cup and a second vacuum cup, said first tubular member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first tubular member coupled near said first end of said base and said second end of said first tubular member having said first vacuum cup attached thereto, said second tubular member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second tubular member coupled near said second end of said base and said second end of said second tubular member having said second vacuum cup attached thereto; and
a magnetic coupler, said magnetic coupler including a vertical member and a permanent magnet, said vertical member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said vertical member movably coupled to said base and said second end of said vertical member having said permanent magnet attached thereto, said magnetic coupler being retractable and having an extended position and a retracted position operative for magnetically coupling and decoupling, respectively, an item from said pick-and-place apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pick-and-place apparatus (404) for magnetically and vacuum coupling an item (1100) includes a base (516), a magnetic coupler (500), and a vacuum coupler (502). The magnetic coupler (500) includes a vertical member (506) and a magnetic body (504), where the vertical member (506) has a first end (501) coupled to a center (507) of the base (516) and a second end (503) coupled to the magnetic body (504). The vacuum coupler (502) includes a first tubular member (510), a first vacuum cup (508), a second tubular member (514), and a second vacuum cup (512). The first tubular member (510) has a first end (509) coupled to a first end (517) of the base (516) and a second end (511) having the first vacuum cup (508) attached thereto. The second tubular member (514) has a first end (513) coupled to a second end (519) of the base (516) and a second end (515) having the second vacuum cup (512) attached thereto. The vertical member (506) of the magnetic coupler (500) is retractable for decoupling a magnetically coupled item.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A pick-and-place apparatus, comprising:
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a base having a first end and a second end; a vacuum coupler, said vacuum coupler including a first tubular member and a second tubular member, and a first vacuum cup and a second vacuum cup, said first tubular member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first tubular member coupled near said first end of said base and said second end of said first tubular member having said first vacuum cup attached thereto, said second tubular member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second tubular member coupled near said second end of said base and said second end of said second tubular member having said second vacuum cup attached thereto; and a magnetic coupler, said magnetic coupler including a vertical member and a permanent magnet, said vertical member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said vertical member movably coupled to said base and said second end of said vertical member having said permanent magnet attached thereto, said magnetic coupler being retractable and having an extended position and a retracted position operative for magnetically coupling and decoupling, respectively, an item from said pick-and-place apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A pick-and-place apparatus for picking and placing an item including a ferrous content and having a top shape, said pick-and-place apparatus comprising:
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a central magnetic base having a hole, a bottom shape, and an outer edge, said bottom shape shaped to conform substantially to said top shape of said item; a vacuum coupler including a vertical member and a vacuum cup, said vertical member inserted through said hole of said central magnetic base, said vacuum coupler capable of being positioned in a retracted position and an extended position, said vacuum coupler substantially disposed within said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the retracted position, said vacuum cup positioned outside of said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the extended position; and a guiding body attached to said outer edge of said central magnetic base, said guiding body inwardly tapering for guiding and positioning said item accurately to said central magnetic base and said vacuum coupler. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A pick-and-place apparatus for picking and placing a first item having a ferrous content, said first item having a first top shape, said pick-and-place apparatus comprising:
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a central magnetic base having a hole and an outer edge; a vacuum coupler including a vertical member and a vacuum cup, said vertical member inserted through said hole of said central magnetic base, said vacuum coupler capable of being positioned in a retracted position and an extended position, said vacuum coupler substantially disposed within said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the retracted position, said vacuum cup positioned outside of said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the extended position; and a first guiding body defining a first cavity, said first guiding body attached to said outer edge of said central magnetic base, said first cavity shaped to conform substantially to said first top shape of said first item and tapering inwardly, said first guiding body for guiding and positioning said first item accurately to said central magnetic base and said vacuum coupler. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A pick-and-place tool, comprising:
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a base; a first vacuum cup, said first vacuum cup carried with said base; a permanent magnet, said permanent magnet carried with said base and disposed outside of said first vacuum cup; and a movable member, said movable member movably connected to said base and connected to one of said said permanent magnet and said first vacuum cup, said movable member operative to move to a first position where a first vacuum pick-up area of said first vacuum cup is substantially coplanar with at least a portion of a magnetic pick-up area of said permanent magnet, said movable member operative to move to a second position where the first vacuum pick-up area is substantially noncoplanar with the at least a portion of the magnetic pick-up area and located further away from said base than the at least a portion of the magnet pick-up area, said movable member operative to move from the first position such that no substantial movement of said first vacuum cup occurs in a direction parallel to the first vacuum pick-up area. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification