Fabrication method for miniature plastic gripper

Patent · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871719

Benett, William J ^[1]; Krulevitch, Peter A ^[2]; Lee, Abraham P ^[3]; Northrup, Milton A ^[4]; Folta, James A ^[1]

---

1. Livermore, CA
2. Los Altos, CA
3. Walnut Creek, CA
4. Berkeley, CA

A miniature plastic gripper actuated by inflation of a miniature balloon and method of fabricating same. The gripper is constructed of either heat-shrinkable or heat-expandable plastic tubing and is formed around a mandrel, then cut to form gripper prongs or jaws and the mandrel removed. The gripper is connected at one end with a catheter or tube having an actuating balloon at its tip, whereby the gripper is opened or dosed by inflation or deflation of the balloon. The gripper is designed to removably retain a member to which is connected a quantity or medicine, plugs, or micro-components. The miniature plastic gripper is inexpensive to fabricate and can be used for various applications, such as gripping, sorting, or placing of micron-scale particles for analysis.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5783130
• OSTI ID: 871719
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/264/29/
actuated
actuating
analysis
applications
balloon
catheter
connected
constructed
cut
deflation
designed
dosed
fabricate
fabricating
fabrication
fabrication method
form
formed
gripper
gripper actuated
gripping
heat-expandable
heat-expandable plastic
heat-shrinkable
inexpensive
inflation
jaws
mandrel
medicine
method
micro-components
micron-scale
miniature
miniature balloon
miniature plastic
particles
placing
plastic
plastic gripper
plastic tubing
plugs
prongs
quantity
removably
removed
retain
sorting
tip
tube
tubing
various
various applications
whereby