Lateral Workpiece Gripping for Precise Alignment of Soft Materials

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical pressing system with a vacuum-based system. Instead of using a lateral pressing device that applies mechanical force to the side edge of the workpiece, the invention uses a vacuum field generated by a vacuum source to hold and align the workpiece. The vacuum field acts on the top surface of the workpiece through a support surface with vacuum holes, eliminating the need for lateral mechanical contact that could damage soft or thin materials while maintaining precise alignment.

The patent employs vacuum technology (a form of pneumatic system) to achieve workpiece holding and alignment. A vacuum source creates a pressure difference between the top surface of the workpiece and the atmosphere, allowing the workpiece to be held securely on the support surface without mechanical lateral contact. This pneumatic approach enables precise alignment while avoiding damage to delicate materials.

The patent replaces mechanical lateral pressing with a vacuum field-based holding system. The vacuum field distributes the holding force uniformly across the entire bottom surface of the workpiece that contacts the support surface, rather than concentrating pressure at lateral contact points. This significantly reduces peak surface pressure while maintaining secure holding and alignment reliability.

The patent changes the physical state and distribution of the holding force by using vacuum pressure instead of mechanical contact pressure. The vacuum field creates a distributed pressure profile across the workpiece bottom surface, changing the pressure parameter from concentrated lateral contact pressure to distributed atmospheric pressure differential, thereby reducing peak stresses on the workpiece.

The patent makes the support surface multi-functional by integrating vacuum holding and alignment functions into a single component. The support surface with vacuum holes simultaneously serves as the workpiece support, the alignment reference surface, and the vacuum distribution medium. This eliminates the need for separate lateral contact devices and alignment mechanisms, reducing system complexity while maintaining precise alignment capability.

The patent merges the functions of workpiece holding, alignment, and vacuum application into a single integrated system. The support surface combines the alignment reference surface with vacuum holes, and the vacuum source simultaneously provides both workpiece holding and alignment forces. This functional merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system architecture.