Quotables
"Inventing is a combination of brains and materials. The more brains you use, the less material you need."
Charles Kettering
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8096598 | Auto-release venturi with vacuum switch A material handling system has a vacuum cup assembly engagable with an object and movable to move the object using a pressurized air source, a vacuum cup, a venturi device and a vacuum valve and auto-release valve. The venturi device is in fluid communication with t... | 01/17/2012 |
| 7380850 | Holding structure for holding an object A holding structure, such as a manipulator, includes a plurality fingers. At least one of the fingers is movable such that an object can be held or released by a closing or opening motion of the movable finger. At least one contact surface of the fingers, which is c... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7267382 | Low maintenance vacuum generation The present invention features a system to generate vacuum for picking up and holding a component in a component placement machine wherein the arrangement of the elements comprising the system prevents the flow of foreign matter back through the system. One arrangem... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7222901 | Vacuum handling device having a suction nozzle and a gripper part contained within a single housing A vacuum handling device comprises includes a vacuum source having a suction nozzle means (6) operating on the ejector principle and furthermore a suction gripper (3) which possesses a gripper part (26) connected with the suction side of the suc... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7207609 | Vacuum assisted methods of removing eggs Egg lifting apparatus are provided that include a vacuum housing having first and second passageways, a venturi assembly in fluid communication with the first and second passageways, and a flexible cup secured to the vacuum housing, wherein the flexible cup has an i... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7144056 | Detection and handling of semiconductor wafers and wafers-like objects An end-effector includes multiple vortex chucks for supporting a wafer. Vortex chucks are located along the periphery of the end-effector to help prevent a flexible wafer from curling. The end-effector has limiters to restrict the lateral movement of a supported waf... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7140389 | Vacuum producing device A vacuum producing device (1) possessing a principal suction nozzle unit (2) with a shut off valve (27) on the upstream side thereof and an additional suction nozzle unit (3) connected in parallel to the principal suction nozzle unit (... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7124987 | High vacuum disk A vacuum disk includes a hollow base having an open leading end adapted to engage a flat support surface. The hollow base and the support surface define a vacuum space when the hollow base abuts the support surface. A gasket formed of styrene block copolymers forms ... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7083208 | Vacuum assisted egg lifting apparatus having venturi assembly Egg lifting apparatus are provided that include a vacuum housing having first and second passageways, a venturi assembly in fluid communication with the first and second passageways, and a flexible cup secured to the vacuum housing, wherein the flexible cup has an i... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7014233 | Portable suction device A suction device includes a handle (10) and an operation lever (30) which has a cam end (32) pivotably connected to the handle. A suction disk (20) has a shaft (21) which movably extends through the underside of the handle and is p... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7014185 | Spring-action suction head In a spring-action suction head for separating sheets from a sheet stack, a first suction chamber, which can be subjected to vacuum is provided for lifting the sheet. The first suction chamber is surrounded coaxially by a second suction chamber, which can be subject... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6929298 | Wafer transfer apparatus and device and method for cleaning robot arm in wafer transfer apparatus A wafer transfer apparatus includes a robot arm and a robot arm cleaning device that injects purge gas into a vacuum nozzle of the robot arm under a normal stand-by state wherein the robot arm does not suction a wafer, to clean the vacuum nozzle. The robot arm clean... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6851936 | Vacuum producing device A vacuum producing device having an ejector means with a jet nozzle and a receiving nozzle downstream from it. At the outlet end of the receiving nozzle there is a receiving space for the fluid flowing through the receiving nozzle and an exit flow duct extends from ... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6745868 | Safety device A safety device comprises vacuum anchors for attachment to a surface. The anchors are interconnected by a rigid track along which a carriage runs. The carriage includes means for connection to a safety line and harness. Such an arrangement provides enhanced freedom ... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6494063 | Apparatus for pushing hollow glass articles onto a conveyor belt The apparatus serves for pushing at least one of two hollow glass articles from a dead plate of a glass forming machine onto a conveyor belt. A pusher serves for this purpose, and includes a base portion and, for each glass article which is to be pushed, ... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6397885 | Vacuum control apparatus for maintaining the operating condition of a vacuum responsive device during loss and resumption of power A vacuum control apparatus for generating and controlling the source of vacuum produced from a source of pressurized air in communication with at least one vacuum responsive device wherein the vacuum control apparatus maintains the operating conditions of... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6397876 | Method for maintaining the operating condition of a vacuum responsive device during loss and resumption of power A method for generating and controlling the source of vacuum produced from a source of pressurized air in communication with at least one vacuum responsive device wherein the present invention maintains the operating conditions of the system during the lo... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6102459 | Vacuum valve The present invention is a vacuum valve assembly that creates vacuum on demand. The assembly has a body with a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, a fluid flow channel extending between the fluid inlet port and the fluid outlet port, a vacuum port, a l... | 08/15/2000 |
| 5887623 | Fluid pressure apparatus A fluid pressure apparatus of this invention provides advanced control without imposing an excessive burden on a sequencer. When a plurality of fluid pressure apparatuses are connected to one another by manifolds, the individual fluid pressure apparatuses... | 03/30/1999 |
| 5853208 | Manual manipulator A manual manipulator having a pneumatically operable tool for performing a tool function on a workpiece. An elongate hollow pole supplies the tool with pressurized gas from a remote supply. A housing containing the pneumatic control circuitry is located o... | 12/29/1998 |
| 5636887 | Apparatus for lifting objects by suction and releasing them by gas pressure An apparatus includes a lifting device having a gas-attachment end and a lifting end, two pins each attachable to the gas-attachment end of the lifting device, and a gas-supply coupler for connecting a gas supply to the lifting device. Each pin has a long... | 06/10/1997 |
| 5603599 | Vacuum system An apparatus for transferring a workpiece from one location of a machine to another is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of picking assemblies that are movable along a closed transfer path. Each of the picking assemblies includes a vacuum mani... | 02/18/1997 |
| 5601415 | Fluid pressure device A fluid pressure device having a fluid unit suitable for use as a vacuum generating unit formed by connecting together a plurality of blocks having different functions, the fluid unit being connected to an external device. The fluid pressure device includ... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5549726 | Process for bending glass sheets using fluid barrier A process for bending a glass sheet according to which the glass sheet is heated in horizontal position until its bending temperature is reached and is brought into contact with an upper bending form by a force of a pneumatic nature. A fluid barrier is ge... | 08/27/1996 |
| 5527372 | Pusher mechanism for I.S. glass forming machine A pusher has one or more pockets for receiving glass containers like bottles. Each pocket is defined by a corner between a finger and a side portion. To positively locate the bottles in their pockets, a jet of air is directed at each bottle proximate the ... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5492566 | Support for disk-shaped articles using the Bernoulli principle A support (1, 100) for disk-shaped articles (11), comprises an annular nozzle (8) in a circular surface (9, 10) of the support (1, 100) facing the article (11). The nozzle is fed with compressed gas for the formation of a gas cushion between the support (... | 02/20/1996 |
| 5277468 | Vacuum control apparatus A vacuum control apparatus is positioned remote from the vacuum operated work holding devices themselves, thereby allowing for a remote control system over a plurality of vacuum operated work holding devices. The apparatus also provides the ability to inc... | 01/11/1994 |
| 5244242 | Manipulator with a suction gripper and method for handling and testing fluid-passing components A manipulating device includes a gripper (11) for gripping workpieces (19) by way of a negative pressure. A suction pump for generating and feeding the negative pressure as well as at least one valve (24) are disposed in a casing (14). The casing is conne... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5205717 | Ejector array and a method of achieving it Method of achieving with at least two compressed air operated ejectors a desired subpressure in the shortest possible time and with the least use of energy, this method including connection of the ejectors such that they work one at a time in response to ... | 04/27/1993 |
| 5201560 | Vacuum cup control apparatus A vacuum cup control apparatus for applying and releasing vacuum in a vacuum cup includes a venturi passage for inducing a vacuum within the vacuum cup upon the flow of pressurized air therethrough. Another air flow passage extends through the housing for... | 04/13/1993 |
| 5188411 | Vacuum cup control apparatus A vacuum cup control apparatus for applying and releasing vacuum in a vacuum cup engaging a workpiece includes a housing having a venturi passage for inducing a vacuum within the vacuum cup upon the flow of air through the venturi passage. A one-way check... | 02/23/1993 |
| 4957318 | Vacuum cup assembly A vacuum cup assembly is disclosed for holding a workpiece when a source of sub-atmospheric pressure is connected to an interior space of the cup. The assembly includes a vacuum cup having a base portion with a shaped fitting and a housing having a comple... | 09/18/1990 |
| 4950016 | Integrated pneumatic valve/sensor assembly for vacuum supply apparatus A pneumatic vacuum gripping assembly for attachment to a suction gripper device is coupled by way of a fluid flow link to a venturi for controlling the vacuum of the suction gripper device comprises an integrated housing assembly having a venturi and a pn... | 08/21/1990 |
| 4921520 | Process for applying forces to glass sheets, in particular at a high temperature The present invention relates to a process and a device for applying tensile forces, with no contact with solid walls, to glass sheets, in particular at high temperatures, wherein a gas or vapor is blown between the glass sheet and a wall closely approach... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4865521 | Vacuum breaking device for ejector pump A vacuum breaking device for an ejector pump is provided. The vacuum breaking device according to the present invention features that it is provided with a movable sealing valve for blocking the outlet port of the ejector hole of the pump when a vacuum ge... | 09/12/1989 |
| 4828306 | Vacuum cup control system A control system for applying and releasing vacuum in a work-gripping vacuum cup includes a housing having a venturi passage for inducing a vacuum within the cup upon the flow of air through the venturi passage. A one-way check valve in a passage extendin... | 05/09/1989 |
| 4750768 | Gripper device This all pneumatic vacuum gripper which utilizes a fluid amp sensor senses an object when the object comes in contact with vacuum cup. This activates the main venturi vacuum generator which provides the vacuum force necessary to `grip` the object to be li... | 06/14/1988 |
| 4655692 | Ejector pump having pressure operated motive fluid valve and electromagnetic change-over valve Herein disclosed is an ejector pump which can be used favorably with a sucking disk for carrying an article. In the bore of a pump body, there are fitted a nozzle block having a nozzle hole and an ejector block which has an ejector hole aligned with the n... | 04/07/1987 |
| 4600230 | Fluid feeding valve and a vacuum chuck apparatus using same A fluid feeding valve, having a valve chamber with a valve member contained movably therein, the valve member being actuated by the pressure difference between fluid receiving port and fluid feeding port to close and open said ports alternately. The fluid... | 07/15/1986 |
| 4600363 | Ejector pump having an electromagnetic motive fluid valve An ejector pump which is used with a suction disk for carrying an article. In the bore of a pump body, there are fitted a nozzle block having a nozzle opening and an ejector block which has an ejector opening aligned with the nozzle opening of the nozzle ... | 07/15/1986 |
