ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 2 -- United States Patent no. 12,485,556, issued on Dec. 2, was assigned to MSS LLC (Nashville, Tenn.).
"Flexible sheet end effector for robot" was invented by Arthur G. Doak (Nashville, Tenn.), Caleb H. Blackwell (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) and Gregory J. Thibado (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A robotic end effector apparatus and method of replacing a first flexible gripper sheet of a robotic end effector apparatus for grasping an article using a suction effect is disclosed herein. The robotic end effector may include a suction tube having an open lower end, a mounting flange fixed to the suction tube adjacent the open lower end, a clamping ring slidable ...