Daniel F Crews

US Patent:

20080011117, Jan 17, 2008

Filed:

Jun 27, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/769117

Inventors:

Clement Hennessey - Golden CO, US
Daniel Crews - Evergreen CO, US
Nathan Brown - Littleton CO, US

Assignee:

ALIO Industries, Inc. - Wheat Ridge CO

International Classification:

G05G 11/00
F16C 17/26

US Classification:

074490080, 384009000

Abstract:

An XY planar system having a base is disclosed. The base has a surface defining an XY plane, the XY plane has an X axis and a Y axis. An X guide coupled to the base. A first set of three main bearings riding on the surface and configured to constrain a Y stage in a Z direction perpendicular to the XY plane and to rotationally constrain the Y stage in an α and β directions where α is rotation about the X axis and β is rotation about the Y axis. The Y stage is coupled to the X guide and the X guide linearly constrains the motion of the Y stage along the Y axis and constrains the angular motion of the Y stage in the γ direction, where γ is rotation about the Z axis. The Y stage is configured to travel along the X guide in the X direction. A second set of three main bearings are coupled to the XY plane and configured to linearly support a carriage in the Z direction and to rotationally constrain the carriage in the α and β directions. The carriage is coupled to the Y stage and the Y stage linearly constrains the motion of the carriage along the X axis and constrains the angular motion of the carriage in the γ direction. The carriage is configured to travel along the Y stage in the Y direction.

US Patent:

52957004, Mar 22, 1994

Filed:

Apr 16, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/870056

Inventors:

Daniel F. Crews - Winfield IL
Gregory R. O'Brien - Villa Park IL
Alan L. Stone - Wauconda IL

Assignee:

Dukane Corporation - St. Charles IL

International Classification:

B23B 522
B23B 534

US Classification:

279 5

Abstract:

A compliant workpiece support assembly for a microrobotic apparatus for aligning three workpieces and welding them into an assembled package, includes a lower support assembly having a ball and socket joint with a polymer ball seat cast around the ball. The ball has a radial bore containing a lower collet axially movable in the bore to grip one of the workpieces. The other two workpieces are held in telescoping arrangement, respectively in inner and outer collets of an upper support assembly, the collets being disposed coaxially one within the other and respectively having camming housings for opening and closing the collets. The outer collet housing supports the entire upper support assembly and is axially driven so that when the outer collet bottoms on the outer workpiece the continued movement of the outer housing closes the collet to grip the workpiece. The inner collet is closed over the inner workpiece by a pneumatic piston. When the upper support assembly is lowered over the lower support assembly to bring the workpieces together, the force drives the lower collet into the ball to close the collet over the lower workpiece.

US Patent:

20170291270, Oct 12, 2017

Filed:

Jun 26, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/633335

Inventors:

- Wheat Ridge CO, US
Clement William Hennessey - Golden CO, US
Daniel Fording Crews - Evergreen CO, US

International Classification:

B23Q 3/04
B25J 17/02
B23Q 1/48
B25J 9/00

Abstract:

A precision tripod motion system is provided. The tripod motion system in one example includes a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom hinges, a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joints, wherein the top plate is configured to receive a workpiece. Each linear actuator of three linear actuators is coupled to an associated SDOF hinge of the bottom plate and coupled to an associated TDOF joint of the top plate. Each linear actuator is configured to change length over a linear actuation span and configured to return the top plate to a predetermined set position after the top plate is displaced by an external force Each linear actuator includes a ball coupled to the associated three TDOF joint and a positioning actuator configured to move the ball to the predetermined set position prior to the return of the top plate to the predetermined set position.

US Patent:

20140150593, Jun 5, 2014

Filed:

Dec 4, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/096776

Inventors:

- Wheat Ridge CO, US
Clement William Hennessey - Golden CO, US
Daniel Fording Crews - Evergreen CO, US

Assignee:

ALIO Industries, Inc. - Wheat Ridge CO

International Classification:

B25J 17/02

US Classification:

7449005, 901 19

Abstract:

A precision tripod motion system is provided. The tripod motion system in one example includes a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions, a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece, and three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span.

US Patent:

20140151947, Jun 5, 2014

Filed:

Dec 4, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/096852

Inventors:

- Wheat Ridge CO, US
Clement William Hennessey - Golden CO, US
Daniel Fording Crews - Evergreen CO, US

Assignee:

ALIO Industries, Inc. - Wheat Ridge CO

International Classification:

B23Q 3/04

US Classification:

269 58

Abstract:

A precision tripod motion system is provided. The tripod motion system in one example includes a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions, a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece, three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span, and a rotator component and/or a positioning table affixed to the top plate and the bottom plate. The tripod motion system is additionally coupled to a rotator component and a positioning table to provide six degrees of freedom of motion.