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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7314343 | Miniature manipulator for servicing the interior of nuclear steam generator tubes A manipulator for servicing tubes extending through a tube sheet having three major components: a base member, a block member, and a foot member. The base member has a holder for supporting tooling or inspection devices. The base member also has at least one gripper... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7259906 | System and method for voice control of medical devices A light source includes a wavelength shifter that is capable of shifting a shorter optical signal wavelength to a longer optical signal wavelength based at least in part on a Raman effect in a waveguide. The wavelength shifter includes a pump laser that operable to ... | 08/21/2007 |
| 6682287 | Segmented link robot for waste removal The present invention is drawn to an incremental link robot mast for vacuuming nuclear waste from a storage silo. The mast is made of incrementally linked segments that are clamshell in construction to enclose and shield the working cables of the vacuumin... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6526114 | Remote automated nuclear reactor jet pump diffuser inspection tool An inspection apparatus for inspecting welds in a nuclear reactor jet pump includes a probe subassembly rotatably and linearly movably coupled to a frame structure configured to attach to a top flange of the reactor pressure vessel. The probe subassembly ... | 02/25/2003 |
| 5871559 | Arrangement for automated fabrication of fiber optic devices A machine for automated fabrication of a fiber optic device includes an interface enclosing an environment substantially adapted for manufacture of the fiber optic device. The interface includes a stationary gripping device securing an end of a first opti... | 02/16/1999 |
| 5855540 | System for performing work in a hot cell A system for performing work in a hot cell includes a support arm having a first end and a second end and a movable arm having an end selectively engageable with the first end to form a rigid connection. Complementary coupling devices are disposed on the ... | 01/05/1999 |
| 5787137 | Methods and apparatus for performing repairs and inspections in a reactor pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor Methods and apparatus for performing repairs and inspections in a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of a nuclear reactor are described. In one embodiment of the apparatus, a support mast facilitates the positioning of tools within the RPV, especially at locat... | 07/28/1998 |
| 5762467 | Underground storage tank manipulator A manipulator system includes an elongated mast having a mast axis and a telescoping tube assembly having a tube axis. The telescoping tube assembly includes an outer tube section and at least one inner tube section that only moves telescopically with res... | 06/09/1998 |
| 5299243 | Glove holder unit for a confinement enclosure The invention relates to a glove holder unit for a confinement enclosure. The aim of the invention is to produce a unit making it possible to easily change a protective glove for the hand. This aim is achieved with the aid of a glove holder unit having a sleeve ... | 03/29/1994 |
| 5254244 | Modular mixer-settler having separate stages manipulatable by telemanipulator A mixer-settler is provided which is modulatable and permits use, manipulation and maintenance within a tight, shielded enclosure using a telemanipulator. The mixer-settler is constituted by several modules (M1, M2, M3), which can be reciprocally dismantl... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5194215 | Automated robotic equipment for ultrasonic inspection of pressurizer heater wells A robotic device for remotely inspecting pressurizer heater wells is provided which has the advantages of quickly, precisely, and reliably acquiring data at reasonable cost while also reducing radiation exposure of an operator. The device comprises a prob... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5141378 | Mobile intervention chamber providing access to an installation placed in an active cell So as to be able to carry out various operations, especially for cleaning observation and simple interventions, on an installation placed in an active cell, the present invention provides a mobile intervention chamber including a caisson (40) adapted to b... | 08/25/1992 |
| 5131797 | Swipe transfer assembly The swipe transfer assembly is a mechanical assembly which is used in conjunction with glove boxes and other sealed containments. It is used to pass small samples into or out of glove boxes without an open breach of the containment, and includes a rotatio... | 07/21/1992 |
| 4984951 | Mechanical prehensor A generally anthropomorphic prehensor having at least two mechanical finger apparatus which interface directly with an object being grasped by apparatus of mechanical linking and control mechanisms operatively connected to the operator's fingers. Each mec... | 01/15/1991 |
| 4961273 | Method and means for assuring freeze dryer chamber sterility The shelf-operating piston rod of an hydraulic cylinder of a freeze dryer is prevented from possibly contaminiating the freeze dryer chamber either by isolating the piston rod from the chamber by enclosing the piston rod within the chamber with an impervi... | 10/09/1990 |
| 4952299 | Wafer handling apparatus A device (24) for handling semiconduct wafers in a vacuum which includes a wafer-receiving arm (80) located in a vacuum chamber and an operating shaft (76) which extends from the vacuum chamber into an atmospheric chamber. The shaft is driven in an axial ... | 08/28/1990 |
| 4904141 | Manipulating device for high vacuum chamber A motion transmitting mechanism, for use as a sample manipulating device or wobble stick, is provided for transmitting manual movements through the wall of a vacuum vessel. The mechanism includes a central mounting flange for securing the mechanism in vac... | 02/27/1990 |
| 4881326 | Sterilizing device for a freeze-drying apparatus A freeze-drying apparatus includes a freeze-drying chamber; a plurality of horizontally oriented, vertically superposed and vertically displaceable shelf plates for supporting thereon receptacles containing the product to be freeze-dried; a plate shifting... | 11/21/1989 |
| 4850382 | Work booth for a robot A booth in which components are cleaned by high pressure water ejected from a nozzle assembly associated with a robot. The robot is adapted to move the nozzle assembly along multiple axes so as to enable the nozzle assembly to reach various areas of the c... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4850779 | Manipulator for handling objects within a sealed chamber A manipulator for handling objects within a sealed environment, such as an ultra-high vacuum chamber, is mounted on a port of the chamber so that an active portion of the manipulator terminating in a set of gripping jaws is located within the chamber, whi... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4836048 | Industrial robot having dust-proof structure An industrial robot having a dust-proof structure is equipped with at least one dust cover having an opening at one end thereof and a linearly movable unit extending through the opening of the dust cover and movable back and forth in the longitudinal dire... | 06/06/1989 |
| 4822238 | Robotic arm A robotic arm positionable within a nuclear vessel by access through a small diameter opening and having a mounting tube supported within the vessel and mounting a plurality of arm sections for movement lengthwise of the mounting tube as well as for movem... | 04/18/1989 |
| 4802815 | Industrial robot A dust-free industrial robot of high performance includes an internal air space substantially closed by arms, articulation members, bearings or covers or a combination thereof in a manner to separate the rotating, sliding and contacting portions of struct... | 02/07/1989 |
| 4787813 | Industrial robot for use in clean room environment The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by a drive system which includes a base and a support assembly for rotatably supporting one end of the first arm from said base and for raising and lowering the arm with respect to the base. A ... | 11/29/1988 |
| 4781520 | Polar-coordinate manipulator for vacuum application A polar-coordinate manipulator for vacuum application, e.g., for positioning of a specimen (S) between several operating positions in a vacuum chamber (16) where the specimen can be subjected to ion implantation or similar treatment or measuring procedure... | 11/01/1988 |
| 4780047 | Advanced servo manipulator An advanced servo manipulator has modular parts. Modular motor members drive individual input gears to control shoulder roll, shoulder pitch, elbow pitch, wrist yaw, wrist pitch, wrist roll, and tong spacing. The modules include a support member, a should... | 10/25/1988 |
| 4732526 | Explosion-proof industrial robot An electric industrial robot comprises a movable robot assembly (10) forming therein an airtight chamber, and an electric drive unit for driving the robot assembly. The electric drive unit comprises a plurality of motors (36-41). The respective casings (3... | 03/22/1988 |
| 4696612 | Tool holder robot for intervening in an enclosure having an access opening A tool holder robot makes it possible to carry out various interventions within a closed enclosure having an access opening. It comprises a cylindrical ferrule fixed to the opening, a cylindrical shaft mounted in rotary manner in the ferrule, a guide rail... | 09/29/1987 |
| 4687400 | Device for moving objects in a closed container A device for moving objects about the inside of a closed container includes a grasping mechanism for grasping and releasing objects and an operating mechanism for operating the grasping mechanism and for moving the grasping mechanism about the inside of t... | 08/18/1987 |
| 4678952 | Sealed joint for a robot and the like A sealed joint having two adjacent, axially aligned sleeves separated by a rotating seal, one joint being movable with respect to the other. The joints contain a tubular passageway surrounded by a motor and a harmonic drive. A tachometer and a brake help ... | 07/07/1987 |
| 4664873 | System for performing remotely-controlled manual-like operations in large-area cell of a nuclear facility The invention is directed to remotely-controlled manipulator carrier systems for use in maintaining and servicing process equipment housed in large-area cells affected by radioactivity wherein industrial processes are conducted. The cells are part of a nu... | 05/12/1987 |
| 4653971 | Device for selectively positioning a tool carried by a vehicle moving on the perforated plate of a bank of tubes The invention relates to a device for selectively positioning a tool carried by a vehicle moving on the perforated plate of a bank of tubes, said device being composed of a vehicle comprising transfer members mounted to slide in a central body and compris... | 03/31/1987 |
| 4638667 | Remote probe positioning apparatus Apparatus for positioning a probe carried by an elongated flexible carrier includes a cantilevered telescoping extensible boom. A sprocketed tractor feed mounted at the distal end of the boom engages apertures in the carrier for feeding it and deflecting ... | 01/27/1987 |
| 4555216 | Workpiece holding and positioning mechanism and system A workpiece positioning mechanism (10, FIG. 1) includes a movable arm (12) having a plurality of joints (14). A pair of grippers (26 and 28) are movable toward and away from a semiconductor wafer boat (44). The grippers are held in position by a stop memb... | 11/26/1985 |
| 4523884 | Remote manipulation assembly Remote manipulating assembly of the type comprising a movable platform carrying a telescopic supporting or carrying assembly at the end of which a remote manipulation arm can be displaced within an enclosure, wherein the platform is located within a wall ... | 06/18/1985 |
| 4474518 | Shielded cells having manipulators comprising a master arm and a slave arm The slave arm (15) in a sealed containment (12 or 210) is arranged to be replaceable by forward displacement by a new arm (115 or 215). The new arm is preceded by an intermediate sealing body (101 or 201) sealed on the new arm by a flexible bag (103 or 20... | 10/02/1984 |
| 4354785 | Gas-tight connector A gas-tight connector, especially for the remote handling of radioactive or hazardous products by means of a master-slave manipulator. The connector is composed of a tong-unit connector element, a gas-tight connector element and a remote-manipulator conne... | 10/19/1982 |
| 4260308 | Sealing devices A sealing device for minimizing the leakage of toxic or radioactive contaminated environments through a biological shield along an opening through which a flexible component moves that penetrates the shield. The sealing device comprises an outer tubular m... | 04/07/1981 |
| 4212575 | Vacuum sealed manipulator The invention provides one or more externally controlled manipulators for a enerally circularly cylindrical vacuum chamber; which manipulators are capable of small precision translations in three orthogonal directions and can grasp and transport a sample a... | 07/15/1980 |
| 4042119 | Workpiece positioning apparatus Disclosed is an X-Y table for positioning semiconductor workpieces in a vacuum environment with a high degree of speed and accuracy. The X and Y prime movers are mounted on adjacent external surfaces of the vacuum chamber. The first motor associated with ... | 08/16/1977 |
