Flexible fixing system for product testing

• US 7,848,833 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Ping, Li, Lei, Cheng, Zhi, Sun, Chang-Fa, Dong, Lin-Sen, Zhai, Xue-Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett; Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US11/752,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 700/56, 700/60, 700/95, 700/109, 700/114, 269/53, 269/54.2, 269/54.4, 269/54.5, 269/292, 269/320, 269/903
• US Class Current: 700/60
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/00 Clamps for holding or positioning work for welding, soldering, or cutting by applying heat locally B23K37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/003 Combinations of clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/06 Arrangements for positively actuating jaws
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/16 Details, e.g. jaws, jaw attachments

Abstract

A flexible/adjustable fixing system (100) for fixing a workpiece (40) includes an information management module (10), a plurality of driving devices (20), and a positioning device (30). The information management module receives and processes the position information of the workpiece. The driving devices electronically couple with the information management module. The positioning device includes a platform (31) and a plurality of positioning pins (32). One end of the workpiece is positioned in a certain area of the platform. Each respective pin is attached to a corresponding driving device. When the driving device receives an order/signal from the information management module, the positioning pin is selectably driven relative to (e.g., toward, away from) the workpiece by the driving device.

Claims

1. An adjustable fixing system for holding a workpiece, comprising:

an information management module configured for receiving and processing position information of the workpiece;

a plurality of driving devices electronically coupled with the information management module; and

a positioning device, including;

a platform supporting the workpiece, the platform having a stationary block fixed on one end thereof, the block contacting only a single location of the workpiece during the positioning of the workpiece by the fixing system; and

a plurality of positioning pins, each respective positioning pin being attached to a corresponding driving device;

wherein the information management module transmits control signals to the respective driving devices, and each driving device thereby controllably drives a corresponding positioning pin relative to the workpiece, so that the workpiece is positioned without movement of the block.

2. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each driving device comprises an electromotor and a transmission shaft, each transmission shaft connects with a corresponding positioning pin, and each transmission shaft is driven by the corresponding electromotor.

3. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electromotor is a linear electromotor.

4. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein electromotor is a rotary electromotor, the driving device further comprises a transmission screw, one end of the transmission screw is attached to the rotary electromotor, and another end of the transmission screw connects with a corresponding transmission shaft.

5. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform is a flat board, a plurality of sliding slots are defined in the platform, and the positioning pins are slidably received in their respective sliding slots.

6. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sliding slots are parallel to the block.

7. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning device further comprises at least one support pin, the platform has at least one through hole vertically defined in another end thereof, the at least one support pin is slidably received in the through hole, and the at least one support pin is driven by a corresponding driving device.

8. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the positioning device further comprises a flat board, the corresponding driving device comprises a transmission shaft, the flat board connects with the transmission shaft, and the at least one support pin is mounted on the flat board.

9. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one support pin has a flexible cover on an end thereof, the flexible cover being configured for reducing the friction produced between the support pin and the workpiece.

10. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each positioning pin has a flexible cover on an end thereof, the flexible cover being configured for reducing an amount of friction produced between the positioning pin and the workpiece.

11. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information management module is a single chip microcomputer.

12. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information management module is electronically coupled with a computer, the computer storing position information regarding the workpiece, the information management module receiving the position information from the computer and providing control signals to the driving devices.

13. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein position information regarding the workpiece is manually inputted into the information management module.

14. An adjustable fixing system for holding a workpiece, comprising:

an information management module configured for receiving and processing position information of the workpiece;

a plurality of driving devices electronically coupled with the information management module; and

a positioning device, including;

a platform supporting the workpiece, the platform comprising a stationary block formed on one end thereof, the block contacting only a single location of the workpiece during the positioning of the workpiece by the fixing system; and

a plurality of positioning pins, each pin respectively attached to a corresponding driving device, each positioning pin being selectably driven relative to the workpiece by the driving device when the driving device receives an appropriate control signal from the information management module.

15. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each driving device comprises an electromotor and a corresponding transmission shaft connected with the electromotor, and each positioning pin respectively connects with a corresponding transmission shaft.

16. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the platform is a flat board with a plurality sliding slots defined therein, and the positioning pins are slidably received in the respective sliding slots.

17. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sliding slots are parallel to the block.

18. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the positioning device further comprises at least one support pin, the at least one support pin corresponds to a driving device, the platform has at least one through hole vertically defined in another end thereof, and the at least one support pin is slidably received in the through hole.

19. The adjustable fixing system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one support pin has a flexible cover on an end thereof, the flexible cover being configured for reducing an amount of friction produced between the support pin and the workpiece.