CN104826973B - Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment - Google Patents
Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CN104826973B CN104826973B CN201510123360.5A CN201510123360A CN104826973B CN 104826973 B CN104826973 B CN 104826973B CN 201510123360 A CN201510123360 A CN 201510123360A CN 104826973 B CN104826973 B CN 104826973B
- Authority
- CN
- China
- Prior art keywords
- forging equipment
- automatic feeding
- plate
- discharging device
- raw material
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21J—FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES
- B21J13/00—Details of machines for forging, pressing, or hammering
- B21J13/08—Accessories for handling work or tools
- B21J13/10—Manipulators
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21J—FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES
- B21J13/00—Details of machines for forging, pressing, or hammering
- B21J13/08—Accessories for handling work or tools
- B21J13/14—Ejecting devices
Abstract
The present invention provides a kind of automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment, including synchronous slide mechanical hand on slide rail and fluid pressure drive device, described mechanical hand includes plate grasp device, arm and connecting plate, described plate grasp device is articulated with one end of described arm, the other end of described arm connects connecting plate, described connecting plate connects fluid pressure drive device, and described plate grasp device has two corpus unguis for loading and unloading bar be arrangeding in parallel。Automatic feeding and discharging device provided by the invention has the jaw of former and later two grippings, and gripping forging and stamping bar is flexible, and is collocated with raw material district and discharge zone, it is possible to the discharging of fast and flexible and charging, saves human cost。
Description
Technical field
The invention belongs to machinery forging technology field, be specifically related to a kind of automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment。
Background technology
At present for forging forming bar and treat that what forging and stamping bar also adopted independent mechanical hand is by gripping in forging and stamping manufacture field, it is relatively costly, needing to be separately formed mechanical hand, structure is complicated and it needs to individually coupling hydraulic drive mechanism is driven, it is relatively costly, and need individually to arrange operator, accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a kind of machinery that can better mate forging equipment, realize under the premise of the whole automatization of charging discharging, save machine cost and human cost as much as possible。
Summary of the invention
The present invention provides a kind of automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment, and it has former and later two gripping jaws, and gripping forging and stamping bar is flexible, and is collocated with raw material district and discharge zone, it is possible to the discharging of fast and flexible and charging, saves human cost。
The present invention provides a kind of automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment, including synchronous slide mechanical hand on slide rail and fluid pressure drive device, described mechanical hand includes plate grasp device, arm and connecting plate, described plate grasp device is articulated with one end of described arm, the other end of described arm connects connecting plate, described connecting plate connects fluid pressure drive device, and described plate grasp device has two corpus unguis for loading and unloading bar be arrangeding in parallel。
Described connecting plate is also connected with the servomotor for adjusting height in the one end connecting fluid pressure drive device。
Two described corpus unguis have a movable jaw and a stationary jaw respectively, two movable jaws are respectively arranged at two opposed ends of plate grasp device, two stationary jaws are arranged between two movable jaws, and described movable jaw and described stationary jaw are symmetrical arcuate structure, and the movable jaw in each corpus unguis makes two arcuate structures relative with stationary jaw when arranging。
Described movable jaw and stationary jaw are the arcuate structure less than 180 ° and be more than or equal to 150 °, described movable jaw and stationary jaw and form, when Guan Bi, the hollow structure do not closed；Described movable jaw connects drive motor or pneumatic means。
Described slide rail is horizontally disposed in the side of described forging equipment, and described mechanical hand and fluid pressure drive device all slide and hang on described slide rail。
Also including raw material cabin and rolling loading device, described rolling loading device is obliquely installed, and described rolling loading device is arranged at intervals with multiple rows of bulge-structure setting bar for card, and the bottom of this rolling loading device just discharging opening to described raw material cabin。
The top of described rolling loading device is connected to heater, and the end of described bulge-structure is provided with stopper section upward。
The base plate of described raw material cabin is movable floor。
Also including discharge zone, described discharge zone is provided with conveyer belt。
Described raw material cabin and discharge zone may be contained within the homonymy of forging equipment, and described discharge zone is between raw material cabin and described forging equipment, and described raw material cabin and discharge zone all with described slide rail homonymy。
Present invention have the advantage that:
The present invention provides a kind of automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment, and its mechanical hand has former and later two gripping jaws, and gripping forging and stamping bar is flexible, and is collocated with raw material district and discharge zone, it is possible to the discharging of fast and flexible and charging, saves human cost。
Accompanying drawing explanation
Fig. 1: robot manipulator structure schematic diagram suitable in the automatic feeding and discharging device of forging equipment provided by the invention；
Fig. 2: the structural representation of the automatic feeding and discharging device middle plateform type grasp device suitable in forging equipment provided by the invention；
Fig. 3: the structural representation of the automatic feeding and discharging device Central Plains feed bin suitable in forging equipment provided by the invention and rolling loading device。
In figure: 1-mechanical hand；2-fluid pressure drive device；3-raw material cabin；4-rolling loading device；5-discharge zone;6-forging equipment;7-slide rail；The plate grasp device of 101-；102-arm；103-connecting plate；The 104-strong point；105-junction point；106-pin joint；1011-corpus unguis；1012-movable jaw；1013-stationary jaw；301-discharging opening；401-scrolling bands；402-bulge-structure；4021-stopper section；403-heater。
Detailed description of the invention
Below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments, the invention will be further described, so that those skilled in the art can be better understood from the present invention and can be practiced, but illustrated embodiment is not as a limitation of the invention。
The present invention provides a kind of automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment, is correspondingly arranged in the side of described forging equipment 6, as it is shown in figure 1, include mechanical hand 1, fluid pressure drive device 2, raw material cabin 3, rolling loading device 4, discharge zone 5 and slide rail 7。This automatic feeding and discharging device forging equipment 6 of can arranging in pairs or groups uses, and is particularly suited for the horizontal forging equipment of one that application number is 201310331688.7。Wherein, the discharging of charging and the molding bar treating forging and stamping bar can be completed by mechanical hand 1, and can treat that forging bar loads in scrolling bands 401 automatically, in an orderly manner by what raw material cabin 3 was piled up by rolling loading device 4, it is easy to mechanical hand 1 capture, and automatically delivers to treat other processing operations of later stage by the product of forging forming by discharge zone 5。
As shown in Figure 1, described mechanical hand 1 and fluid pressure drive device 2 all slide on laterally disposed slide rail 7, described slide rail 7 is laterally disposed horizontal direction slide rail, drive mechanical hand 1 synchronous slide above slide rail 7 by fluid pressure drive device 2, and then can adjust mechanical hand 1 away from or near forging equipment 6, carry out the adjustment of the big distance of horizontal direction。Described slide rail 7 supports the side being arranged at described forging equipment 6 by support。
Described mechanical hand 1 includes plate grasp device 101, arm 102 and connecting plate 103。The middle part of described connecting plate 103 has the strong point 104, this strong point 104 is fixed on described fluid pressure drive device 2, the other end of described connecting plate 103 connects servomotor, and this servomotor also master-slave manipulator 1 and fluid pressure drive device 2 synchronous slide are on slide rail 7。One end of described connecting plate 103 can carry out a range of up and down motion under the driving of servomotor, the other end of connecting plate 103 connects arm 102, utilize lever principle, connecting plate 103 is with the strong point 104 for fixing point, its one end carries out upper and lower vertical direction motion under the effect of servomotor, drives the arm 102 of the other end of connecting plate 103 to produce a range of up and down motion。Between the other end and the arm 102 of described connecting plate 103, there is junction point 105, therebetween it is the connection of adjustable angle, the angle needs of material are captured according to actual machine hands 1, after setting between connecting plate 103 and arm 102 required angle, it is possible to by locked for junction point 105 fixing and no longer angle changing。The upper surface of described plate promptly plate 101 is articulated with the other end of arm 102, and then make plate promptly plate 101 can carry out angle of inclination adjustment around pin joint 106 therebetween, namely the maximum adjustment angle in one direction can adjust the lower surface making the plate promptly upper surface conflict arm 102 of plate 101, the maximum adjustment angle in another direction then basis is grabbed the needs unloading bar and is arbitrarily set, being not intended to size, the motor that the angle adjustment of this plate promptly plate 101 connects is servomotor。Utilize the motion of the adjustable range up and down of connecting plate 103 and the adjustment at the plate promptly angle of inclination of plate 101, it is possible to carry out the horizontally and vertically direction position adjustment of little range dimension。By fluid pressure drive device 2, the plate promptly plate 101 of mechanical hand 1 is being adjusted behind forging equipment 6 side, the angle of inclination adjusting the vertical direction motion of connecting plate 103 and plate promptly plate 101 can be passed through, and then the corpus unguis 1011 adjusting plate promptly plate 101 accurately captures in the mould of forging equipment 6 or puts down bar。
As shown in Figure 2, the lower surface of described plate promptly plate 101 is provided with the corpus unguis 1011 of two handling bars in relative two ends, the two is arranged in parallel, each corpus unguis 1011 has a movable jaw 1012 respectively, so can this movable jaw 1012 of portable propelling and capture to come up or loosen to fall by bar。It addition, each corpus unguis 1011 is also respectively provided with and the stationary jaw 1013 of this movable jaw 1012 collocation。Stationary jaw 1013 and movable jaw 1012 are the arcuate structure of symmetry, so can form the circular configuration of hollow when the two is oppositely arranged and by bar clasping in this hollow space。Described movable jaw 1012 is arranged at the opposite end of plate promptly plate 101, and stationary jaw 1013 is arranged between two movable jaws 1012, namely described stationary jaw 1013 is arranged at the relative inner of plate promptly plate 101 and then the movable adjustment of portable propelling claw 1012。The radian of the arcuate structure of described stationary jaw 1013 and movable jaw 1012 is respectively less than 180 °, be more than or equal to 150 °, the two forms hollow structure when Guan Bi, and reserve certain space in the bottom of hollow structure, namely movable jaw 1012 is not exclusively closed when Guan Bi with stationary jaw 1013, there is gap in the bottom making each corpus unguis 1011, and then when adjusting the angle of described plate grasp device 101, conveniently can be picked up by bar or put down。The driving force unclamping and holding with a firm grip of described movable jaw 1012 is that servomotor provides, and namely two movable jaws 1012 are respectively connected with drive motor or pneumatic means controls that it is movable, and this drive motor selects servomotor。
Described rolling loading device 4 is arranged between forging equipment 6 and fluid pressure drive device 2, namely as it is shown in figure 1, be sequentially arranged fluid pressure drive device 2, raw material cabin 3, discharging bin 5 and forging equipment 6 along X-direction。As it is shown on figure 3, described rolling loading device 4 is obliquely installed, so can coordinate forging equipment 6 reinforced need do not stop to roll, and facilitate corpus unguis 1011 to capture to treat forging and stamping bar。The bottom of this rolling loading device 4 just to and be close to the discharging opening 301 of described raw material cabin 3, being sized so as to guarantee to be only capable of in the same time of described discharging opening 301 rotates out a bar, the base plate of described raw material cabin 3 is movable base plate, can inclination movement, and then can ensure that in raw material cabin 3, each bar moves to the position of discharging opening 301 due to action of gravity, carries out continuous discharge。Described rolling loading device 4 has scrolling bands 401, and it is connected to servomotor, and this scrolling bands 401 is provided with multiple rows of bulge-structure 402 setting bar for card, and then can load in an orderly manner, abreast on rolling loading device 4 and multiple treat forging and stamping bar。Well will treat that forging and stamping bar horizontal bearing is on the surface of the scrolling bands 401 of rolling loading device 4 by multiple rows of bulge-structure 402。The end of each bulge-structure 402 has stopper section 4021 all upward, it is possible to stop that bar tumbles above bulge-structure 402。Above bar to be forged and pressed is rolled to by mechanical hand 1 when feeding, automatically roll after being taken away by mechanical hand 1, make time bar of top arrive top, and bottom is due to just to raw material cabin 3, and owing to the bar of bottom has been rolled to upper one, therefore, make the discharging opening 301 of raw material cabin 3 rotate out a bar again, and tumble in bottom protrusion structure 402, and then it is done directly feeding process by bulge-structure 402, without manually moving bar, save a large amount of human cost, and improve work efficiency。The top of described rolling loading device 4 is connected to heater 403, it is possible to bar to be forged and pressed directly is heated to the temperature of required forging and stamping, efficient and convenient。
Described discharge zone 5 is arranged between forging equipment 6 and raw material cabin 3, this discharge zone 5 is provided with the conveyer belt of rolling, when the bar forged and pressed is sent to this discharge zone 5 by corpus unguis 1011 by mechanical hand 1, unclamp movable jaw 1012, bar is positioned over above conveyer belt, by conveyer belt transmission, makes bar enter next working link, manpower can well be saved, and improve the work efficiency of working link。
Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment provided by the invention, its delicate structure, design innovation, all processes in a set of forging equipment production process can be combined in order, all realize industry automatization, when adopting a mechanical hand 1 to be operated, it is possible to complete forging and stamping bar feeding before forging and stamping and the feeding after forging and stamping。As required, can when first time operates, by rolling loading device 4, the bar in raw material cabin 3 is carried out automatic charging, mechanical hand 1 is driven to slide on slide rail 7 by fluid pressure drive device 2, plate grasp device 101 is made to be in the top of raw material cabin 3, then pass through hydraulic electric motor adjustment connecting plate 103 to move up and down, any one corpus unguis 1011 in plate grasp device 101 is made to be in the side waiting to capture raw bar material, the angle of plate grasp device 101 can be adjusted, in order to capture bar more efficiently when capturing。Then driving fluid pressure drive device 2 to make plate grasp device 101 be in the side of lower mold body of forging equipment 6, subsequently adjust the height of connecting plate 103 and the angle of plate grasp device 101, control movable jaw 1012 and unclamp, put down and treat forging and stamping bar。Then fluid pressure drive device 2 is driven to make mechanical hand 1 move back to the top of raw material cabin 3 again, again during feeding, can in rear corpus unguis 1011 namely away from forging equipment 6, gripping bar on the corpus unguis 1011 of fluid pressure drive device 2 side, and drive the side of forging equipment 6, and corpus unguis just side to mould before making another corpus unguis 1011 namely, after forging and stamping complete die sinking, this front corpus unguis is utilized to capture bar, when capturing, in order to remove bar faster, the angle of plate grasp device 101 can be adjusted, capture with angle of inclination, and avoid rear corpus unguis collision forging equipment 6。After crawl completes, continue to drive forwards mechanical hand 1, make rear corpus unguis just to, above mould, treating that forging and stamping bar is put in mould by what capture before, in putting into process, adjust the angle of plate grasp device 101, it is to avoid collision。Mechanical hand 1 is risen after completing, return the plate grasp device 101 of mechanical hand 1 backward, when moving to above discharge zone 5, the plate grasp device 101 of whereabouts mechanical hand 1, the bar of the forging forming captured before is brought in next working link by transmitting band。So can complete the operation of feeding in the process of a feeding, save manpower expenditure, and simplify affected link。
The present invention drives required motor all adopt servomotor, namely drive the motor of scrolling bands 401 motion of rolling loading device 4, the motor of driving raw material cabin 3 base plate inclination, the motor driving connecting plate 103 to move up and down, drive the motor that plate grasp device 101 adjusts angle, the motor driving the motor of the configured conveyer belt transmission of discharging bin 3, driving movable jaw 1012 to open or hold with a firm grip。
Embodiment described above is only the preferred embodiment lifted for absolutely proving the present invention, and protection scope of the present invention is not limited to this。Equivalent replacement that those skilled in the art make on basis of the present invention or conversion, all within protection scope of the present invention。Protection scope of the present invention is as the criterion with claims。
Claims (10)
1. the automatic feeding and discharging device being applicable to forging equipment, it is characterized in that, including synchronous slide mechanical hand on slide rail and fluid pressure drive device, described mechanical hand includes plate grasp device, arm and connecting plate, described plate grasp device is articulated with one end of described arm, the other end of described arm connects connecting plate, and described connecting plate connects fluid pressure drive device, and described plate grasp device has two corpus unguis for loading and unloading bar be arrangeding in parallel。
2. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 1, it is characterised in that described connecting plate is also connected with the servomotor for adjusting height in the one end connecting fluid pressure drive device。
3. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, two described corpus unguis have a movable jaw and a stationary jaw respectively, two movable jaws are respectively arranged at two opposed ends of plate grasp device, two stationary jaws are arranged between two movable jaws, and described movable jaw and described stationary jaw are symmetrical arcuate structure, and the movable jaw in each corpus unguis makes two arcuate structures relative with stationary jaw when arranging。
4. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 3, it is characterized in that, described movable jaw and stationary jaw are the arcuate structure less than 180 ° and be more than or equal to 150 °, described movable jaw and stationary jaw and form, when Guan Bi, the hollow structure do not closed；Described movable jaw connects drive motor or pneumatic means。
5. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 1, it is characterised in that described slide rail is horizontally disposed in the side of described forging equipment, and described mechanical hand and fluid pressure drive device all slide and hang on described slide rail。
6. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, also include raw material cabin and rolling loading device, described rolling loading device is obliquely installed, described rolling loading device is arranged at intervals with multiple rows of bulge-structure setting bar for card, and the bottom of this rolling loading device just discharging opening to described raw material cabin。
7. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 6, it is characterised in that the top of described rolling loading device is connected to heater, and the end of described bulge-structure is provided with stopper section upward。
8. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 6, it is characterised in that the base plate of described raw material cabin is movable floor。
9. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 6, it is characterised in that also including discharge zone, described discharge zone is provided with conveyer belt。
10. the automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment according to claim 9, it is characterized in that, described raw material cabin and discharge zone may be contained within the homonymy of forging equipment, described discharge zone is between raw material cabin and described forging equipment, and described raw material cabin and discharge zone all with described slide rail homonymy。
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201510123360.5A CN104826973B (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2015-03-20 | Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201510123360.5A CN104826973B (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2015-03-20 | Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN104826973A CN104826973A (en) | 2015-08-12 |
| CN104826973B true CN104826973B (en) | 2016-06-22 |
Family
ID=53805373
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201510123360.5A Active CN104826973B (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2015-03-20 | Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN104826973B (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110026507A (en) * | 2018-01-12 | 2019-07-19 | 宁波会德丰铜业有限公司 | Automated installation of system and its method |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN2231148Y (en) * | 1995-07-17 | 1996-07-17 | 毕建州 | Section feeder |
| JP2006130518A (en) * | 2004-11-04 | 2006-05-25 | Aida Eng Ltd | Conveying apparatus, conveying robot and press line |
| CN201511099U (en) * | 2009-10-12 | 2010-06-23 | 马勒三环气门驱动(湖北)有限公司 | Automatic loading and unloading device of horizontal type electric upsetting machine |
| CN201751047U (en) * | 2010-02-26 | 2011-02-23 | 清远新大南方机械装备制造有限公司 | Manipulator for clamping valves in hot forging process |
| CN202185531U (en) * | 2011-07-29 | 2012-04-11 | 台州市通益机械设备有限公司 | Feeder of automatic numerical control stamping device |
| CN202540305U (en) * | 2012-01-03 | 2012-11-21 | 秦皇岛燕大现代集成制造技术开发有限公司 | Loading and unloading dual-claw robot of aluminum alloy wheel |
| CN202283578U (en) * | 2012-01-13 | 2012-06-27 | 冠亿精密工业(昆山)有限公司 | Continuous forging device |
| CN102554920B (en) * | 2012-01-17 | 2013-12-18 | 苏州市越海拉伸机械有限公司 | Loading and unloading manipulator |
| CN103962492A (en) * | 2013-01-24 | 2014-08-06 | 江苏金秆农业装备有限公司 | Multi-station synchronous manipulator on forging forming assembly line |
| CN204504115U (en) * | 2015-03-20 | 2015-07-29 | 余国平 | Be applicable to the automatic feeding and discharging device of forging equipment |
-
2015
- 2015-03-20 CN CN201510123360.5A patent/CN104826973B/en active Active
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN104826973A (en) | 2015-08-12 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CN103801935B (en) | Connecting joint automatic assembly equipment | |
| CN204823151U (en) | Automatic unloading mechanism in upset | |
| CN103008262B (en) | The method of goods rejection in a kind of basal detonator automatic Loading production and device | |
| CN108500124B (en) | Automatic punching system | |
| CN109351525B (en) | Automatic paint spraying machine | |
| CN203895482U (en) | Automatic battery side edge machining production line | |
| KR101638458B1 (en) | Processed material supply and exhaust system | |
| CN207771415U (en) | A kind of combined type clamping jaw | |
| CN105537431A (en) | Machining equipment used for riveting and fixing ends of steel ropes and threaded rods | |
| CN110340263B (en) | Automatic spike production system | |
| CN104826973B (en) | Automatic feeding and discharging device suitable in forging equipment | |
| CN202825381U (en) | Conveying device | |
| CN205060814U (en) | Upender | |
| CN205062115U (en) | Novel thermal treatment system | |
| CN204504115U (en) | Be applicable to the automatic feeding and discharging device of forging equipment | |
| CN107552716B (en) | Screw spike production equipment and screw spike production system | |
| CN106166587B (en) | A kind of full-automatic punch | |
| CN206767048U (en) | A kind of black ball of magnetron or so sub-material feed device | |
| CN210547791U (en) | Automatic assembling and riveting machine for automobile safety belt product frame parts | |
| CN219419120U (en) | Multi-station rubbing equipment for full-tab battery | |
| US10335848B2 (en) | Press-molded article manufacturing system and method for changing press molds and grippers | |
| CN209518480U (en) | Toothbrush automated production all-in-one machine | |
| CN204737381U (en) | C shaped steel turns over transferred and send system | |
| CN103909197A (en) | Blank conveying device | |
| CN216656214U (en) | Bolt forging and pressing system |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| C06 | Publication | ||
| PB01 | Publication | ||
| EXSB | Decision made by sipo to initiate substantive examination | ||
| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination | ||
| C14 | Grant of patent or utility model | ||
| GR01 | Patent grant |