Patents by Inventor Steven Donald Jones

Steven Donald Jones has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5732194
    Abstract: A computer controlled reconfigurable fixture mechanism having a base, rotatively and pivotably supporting a plurality of fixture linkages. Each linkage has at least two arms connected by a wrist assembly. The wrist assemblies are motor-driven and permit the arms to be rotated and pivoted relative to each other and to the base. A control computer includes a keyboard. Using a keyboard an operator can individually move the arms to a desired location and orientation. Angle sensors associated with each wrist assembly generate feedback signals indicative of the current configuration of the linkages which can be stored in the control computer. The computer can generate position signals for each linkage to return them to the stored configuration. The control computer may also use the physical data of the part generated by a CAD system to configure the linkages to hold the part at the desired location and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Donald Jones