Flexible electromagnetic clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9496080-B2
Application number	US-201514666724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide a flexible electromagnetic clamp that may be utilized to provide an adjustable clamping force to a wide variety of non-planar surfaces. One embodiment comprises an electromagnetic clamp that includes a pair of electromagnetic members and a current source. The electromagnetic members are disposed on opposing sides of an assembly to be clamped. Each electromagnetic member includes a flexible bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings, an electrical winding wrapped around the bladder, and a flexible sleeve wrapped around the electrical winding and the bladder. The electrical winding generates a magnetic field across the bladder that is based on an applied current. The current source is electrically coupled to each electrical winding and controls a clamping force applied by the electromagnetic members to the assembly based on the applied current.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic clamp, comprising:
a pair of flexible electromagnetic members that are configured to be disposed on opposing sides of an assembly to be clamped, each flexible electromagnetic member including:
a flexible bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings;
an electrical winding wrapped around the flexible bladder that is configured to generate a magnetic field across the flexible bladder based on an applied current; and
a flexible sleeve wrapped around the flexible bladder and the electrical winding; and

a current source electrically coupled to each electrical winding that is configured to control a clamping force applied by the flexible electromagnetic members to the assembly based on the applied current.

2. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
at least one flexible bladder has a top surface and a bottom surface, and includes a plurality of passages that transect the at least one flexible bladder between the top surface and the bottom surface; and
at least one flexible sleeve has a plurality of openings that correspond with the passages of the at least one flexible bladder.

3. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 2 further comprising:
a removable drill template that is configured to mount through the openings of the at least one flexible sleeve and through the passages of the at least one flexible bladder to enable a drill bit to contact the assembly in a pre-defined pattern.

4. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 2 wherein:
the passages that transect the at least one flexible bladder are sized to enable a drill bit to traverse the passages and contact the assembly.

5. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
the ferromagnetic fillings comprise Iron filings.

6. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
each of the opposing sides of the assembly forms a non-planar surface; and
each flexible electromagnetic member is configured to conform to the non-planar surface of an opposing side of the assembly responsive to the applied current.

7. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
the current source is configured to vary the clamping force applied by the flexible electromagnetic members to the assembly from between zero Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) and five hundred PSI.

8. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
the flexible electromagnetic members are configured to apply the clamping force to the assembly utilizing an opposing magnetic field generated by each flexible electromagnetic member.

9. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
at least one flexible sleeve comprises a flexible KEVLAR® sleeve.

10. The electromagnetic clamp of claim 1 wherein:
at least one flexible bladder includes a plurality of baffles that hold the ferromagnetic filings in place.

11. A clamping system, comprising:
a first flexible electromagnetic member configured to be disposed on a first side of an object to be clamped;
a second flexible electromagnetic member configured to be disposed on a second side of the object to be clamped, wherein the first and second flexible electromagnetic members are configured to conform to non-planar surfaces of the object to be clamped; and
a current source electrically coupled to the first and second flexible electromagnetic members that is configured to control a clamping force exerted by the first and second flexible electromagnetic members on the object.

12. The clamping system of claim 11 wherein:
the current source is configured to increase a current to at least one of the first and second flexible electromagnetic members to increase a clamping force applied to the object by the first and second flexible electromagnetic members.

13. The clamping system of claim 11 wherein:
the first and second flexible electromagnetic members each comprise:
a flexible bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings;
an electrical winding wrapped around the flexible bladder that is configured to generate a magnetic field across the flexible bladder based on current applied by the current source; and
a flexible sleeve wrapped around the flexible bladder and the electrical winding.

14. The clamping system of claim 13 wherein:
the ferromagnetic filings comprise Iron filings.

15. The clamping system of claim 13 wherein:
at least one flexible sleeve comprises a flexible KEVLAR® sleeve.

16. The clamping system of claim 11 wherein:
at least one of the first and second flexible electromagnetic members includes a pre-defined pattern of passages that are sized to enable a drill bit to traverse through the passages.

17. The clamping system of claim 11 wherein:
the current source is configured to vary the clamping force applied by the first and second flexible electromagnetic members to the object from between zero Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) and five hundred PSI.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
an electromagnetic clamp, including:
a first flexible member configured to be disposed on a first side of an assembly to be clamped, the first flexible member including:
a first internal bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings; and
a first electrical winding that is configured to generate a first magnetic field across the first flexible member based on a first applied current; and

a second flexible member configured to be disposed on a second side of the assembly to be clamped, the second flexible member including:
a second internal bladder that includes ferromagnetic filings; and
a second electrical winding that is configured to generate a second magnetic field across the second flexible member based on a second applied current, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field have magnetic poles that are configured in opposition; and

at least one current source electrically coupled to the first electrical winding and the second electrical winding that is configured to vary at least one of the first applied current and the second applied current to modify a strength of at least one of the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field to control a clamping force applied by the first flexible member and the second flexible member to the assembly.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein:
the first flexible member is configured to conform to non-planar features of the first side of the assembly responsive to the first applied current.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilson Jake Aspen
• Huckey Andrew Michael
• Nestleroad Mark Edward
• Charlton Craig Allen

Classifications

• H01F7/06 Primary

  Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets {(electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28)} · CPC title

• H01F7/20 Primary

  without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381}) · CPC title

• B25J15/00

  Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} · CPC title

• B25J15/12

  with flexible finger members · CPC title

• B23Q3/1543

  using electromagnets · CPC title