Device with multiple engagement members
First Claim
1. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
- (a) a frame having a longitudinally extending support member;
(b) at least one group of engagement units, each engagement unit having at least one engagement member, said at least one group of engagement units comprising a plurality of engagement units, each of said engagement units in said at least one group operable for engaging with, and disengaging from at least one item, each of said engagement units in said at least one group being mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said longitudinal support member, each one of said plurality of engagement units being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units;
(c) a movement apparatus operable for engaging at least one but not all of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group to displace said at least one group with longitudinal movement on said longitudinally extending support member;
said movement apparatus comprising a cam device disposed between said at least one engagement unit and said frame, said cam device operable to engage a cam element disposed on said at least one engagement unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for engaging and releasing a plurality of items. The apparatus comprises a frame having a longitudinally extending support member and at least one group of engagement unit. Each engagement unit has at least one engagement member, and each engagement unit is adapted for engaging, and disengaging from at least one item. Each of the engagement units in the one group is mounted in series for longitudinal movement on the longitudinal support member, and each one of the plurality of engagement units is interconnected to at least one other of the plurality of engagement units. A movement apparatus is provided for engaging at least one but not all of the plurality of engagement units in the one group to displace the group longitudinally on the longitudinal support member.
68 Citations
65 Claims
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1. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
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(a) a frame having a longitudinally extending support member; (b) at least one group of engagement units, each engagement unit having at least one engagement member, said at least one group of engagement units comprising a plurality of engagement units, each of said engagement units in said at least one group operable for engaging with, and disengaging from at least one item, each of said engagement units in said at least one group being mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said longitudinal support member, each one of said plurality of engagement units being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units; (c) a movement apparatus operable for engaging at least one but not all of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group to displace said at least one group with longitudinal movement on said longitudinally extending support member;
said movement apparatus comprising a cam device disposed between said at least one engagement unit and said frame, said cam device operable to engage a cam element disposed on said at least one engagement unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
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(i) a longitudinally extending frame; (ii) at least one group of pick up units, each pick up unit having at least one engagement member, each operable for engaging with, and disengaging from, at least one item, each of said pick up units in said at least one group being mounted in series for longitudinal sliding movement on said frame, each one of said plurality of pick up units being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of pick up units; (iii) a movement apparatus operable for engaging at least one but not all of said plurality of pick up units in said at least one group to displace said at least one group with sliding longitudinal movement on said frame; wherein said at least one group of pick up units comprises first, second and third groups of pick up units and wherein said movement apparatus is operable to engage only one of said plurality of pick up units in each of said first, second and third groups of pick up units to displace at least two of said first, second and third and groups of pick up units longitudinally on said frame and wherein said movement apparatus comprises first, second, third and fourth pushing devices disposed in opposed longitudinally spaced pairs of pushing devices, and each of said opposed pairs of pushing devices configured for engaging one of said plurality of pick up units in said first, second and third groups respectively, to displace at least two of said first, second and third and groups of pick up units longitudinally on said support member. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
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(a) A longitudinally extending support frame; (b) at least one group of engagement units, each engagement unit having at least one engagement member, said at least one group comprising a plurality of engagement members, each engagement unit operable for engaging with, and disengaging from, at least one item, each of said engagement units mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said longitudinal support frame, each one of said plurality of engagement units in said group being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units in said group; (c) a movement apparatus operable for engaging at least one of said plurality of engagement units in said group to displace said group longitudinally on said longitudinal support frame; (d) a releasable connection mechanism comprising a protrusion device extending longitudinally from at least a first engagement unit of said plurality of engagement units, said protrusion device being operable to be received in a channel in a second engagement unit of said plurality of engagement units, and said releasable connection mechanism further comprising a lock device operable to releasably lock said protrusion device of said first engagement unit in said channel of said second engagement unit. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. An industrial robot comprising an end effector for engaging and releasing a plurality of items, said end effector comprising:
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(a) an elongated support; (b) at least one group of engagement units, each engagement unit having at least one engagement member, said at least one group of engagement units comprising a plurality of engagement units, each one of said plurality of engagement units being operable to engage and disengage from at least one item, each one of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group being mounted for movement along said support, and each one of said plurality of engagement units being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units; (c) a movement apparatus for engaging at least one but not all of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group to displace said at least one group along said support frame;
said movement apparatus comprising a cam device disposed between said at least one engagement unit and said support, said cam device operable to engage a cam element disposed on said at least one engagement unit. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. An apparatus comprising:
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(i) a longitudinally extending support; (ii) at least one group of engagement units operable to engage with, and disengage from, at least one item, each of said engagement units in said at least one group being mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said support frame, each one of said plurality of engagement units being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units; (iii) a cam device operable for engaging a cam element on at least one but not all of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group, said cam device operable for displacing said at least one group of engagement units longitudinally on said frame. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
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a) longitudinally extending support frame; b) at least one group of engagement units, each engagement unit having at least one engagement member, said at least one group comprising a plurality of engagement units, each engagement unit operable for engaging with, and disengaging from, at least one item, each of said engagement units in said at least one group being mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said support frame, each one of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units in said at least one group; c) a movement apparatus operable for engaging at least one of said plurality of engagement units in said group to displace said group longitudinally on said support frame; d) a releasable connection mechanism operable for interconnecting a first engagement unit in said at least one group to a second engagement unit in said group;
said releasable connection mechanism comprising a protrusion element extending longitudinally from a first engagement unit of said plurality of engagement units, said protrusion element being operable to be received in a channel in a second engagement unit of said plurality of engagement units, said releasable connection mechanism further comprising a lock device operable to releasably hold said protrusion element of said first engagement unit in said channel of said second engagement unit.
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58. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
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a) a longitudinally extending support frame; b) at least one group of engagement units comprising a plurality of engagement members, each of said plurality of engagement units being operable to engage with, and disengage from, at least one item, each of said plurality of engagement units being mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said longitudinal frame, each one of said plurality of engagement units in said group being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of engagement units in said group; c) a movement apparatus operable for moving at least one of said plurality of engagement units in said group to displace said group longitudinally on said longitudinal support frame; d) a releasable connection mechanism operable for interconnecting a first engagement unit in said at least one group to a second engagement unit in said group, said releasable connection mechanism being operable to position said first unit and a said second engagement unit at one of a plurality of settings, each providing a different spatial distance between engagement members in respective first and second pick up units.
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59. An apparatus for engaging and releasing a plurality of items comprising:
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(a) a longitudinally extending support; (b) a plurality of pick up units, each of said pick up units operable to pick up and release at least one item, each of said plurality of pick up units being mounted in series for longitudinal movement on said longitudinally extending support, each one of said plurality of pick up units being interconnected to at least one other of said plurality of pick up units; (c) a movement apparatus operable for engaging at least one but not all of said plurality of pick up units to displace said plurality of pick up units with longitudinal movement on said longitudinally extending support;
said movement apparatus comprising at least one cam device disposed between said at least one pick up unit and said support, said at least one cam device operable to engage a cam element disposed on said at least one pick up unit. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification