Multiple segment vacuum release handling device
A vacuum release device is provided for temporarily immobilizing objects, the device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of vacuum release subunits which can be operated independent of each other, each vacuum release subunit comprising an adhesive layer over a surface of the substrate; and a spacing material positioned between the substrate and the adhesive layer so as to form a chamber within which a vacuum may be formed, application of the vacuum causing the adhesive layer to recess toward the chamber.
1. A vacuum release device for temporarily immobilizing objects, the device comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of vacuum release subunits which can be operated independent of each other, each vacuum release subunit comprising
an adhesive layer over a surface of the substrate; and
a spacing material positioned between the substrate and the adhesive layer so as to form a chamber within which a vacuum may be formed, application of the vacuum causing the adhesive layer to recess toward the chamber;
wherein a spacer structure is positioned between adjacent vacuum release subunits and separates the adjacent vacuum release subunits, the entire spacer structure being below adhesive layers of the adjacent vacuum release subunits such as to allow an object to be placed across the adjacent vacuum release subunits without touching the surface of the spacer structure.
2. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the spacing material is a mesh.
3. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the spacing material is conductive relative to the adhesive layer.
4. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the spacing material is formed of a conductive metal.
5. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the device further includes a ground for grounding the adhesive layer.
6. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises a conductive additive.
7. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises between 1%-50% by weight of a conductive additive.
8. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises between 1%-25% by weight of a conductive additive.
9. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises between 5%-50% by weight of a conductive additive.
10. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises between 5%-25% by weight of a conductive additive.
11. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises a carbon based powder or fiber.
12. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises a conductive polymer.
13. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises a conductive based powder or fiber.
14. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises metal coated fibers of carbon or glass.
15. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises metal oxide coated substrates.
16. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises an intrinsically conductive polymer.
17. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises an inherently dissipative polymer.
18. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits comprises nanoparticles coated with an intrinsically conductive polymer.
19. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum, release subunits comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, poly(phenylenevinylene), polyfluorene, and polyacetylene.
20. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer comprises a texturized or patterned relief surface.
21. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer comprises an agent to reduce a degree of tack of the adhesive layer selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, calcium carbonate, clay, silica and talc.
22. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits have different levels of tack.
23. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum release subunits are marked differently to indicate different tack levels.
24. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits does not slough.
25. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits is between 0.1 mil and 35 mil thick.
26. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits is between 0.1 mil and 20 mil thick.
27. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits is between 0.1 mil and 10 mil thick.
28. A vacuum release device according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer used in the plurality of vacuum release subunits is between 0.1 mil and 5 mil thick.
29. A vacuum release device comprising:
an array of separate adhesive layers for immobilizing objects, each adhesive layer being attached to and forming a wall of a chamber within which a vacuum may be drawn where the vacuum deforms the adhesive layer by causing it to withdraw inward toward the chamber, wherein separate vacuums can be applied to deform each separate adhesive layer, and wherein the adhesive layers are separated by a spacer structure, wherein the entire spacer structure is positioned lower than the adhesive layers.
30. A vacuum release device for temporarily immobilizing objects, the device comprising:
a substrate;
a first vacuum release subunit built on a surface of the substrate comprising a first adhesive layer over a surface of the substrate, and a spacing material positioned between the substrate and the first adhesive layer so as to form a chamber within which a vacuum may be formed, application of the vacuum causing the first adhesive layer to recess toward the chamber; and
a second vacuum release subunit built on the surface of the substrate comprising a second adhesive layer over a surface of the substrate, and a spacing material positioned between the substrate and the second adhesive layer so as to form a chamber within which a vacuum may be formed, application of the vacuum causing the second adhesive layer to recess toward the chamber, wherein vacuum can be applied independently to the first vacuum release subunit and the second vacuum release subunit;
wherein the first and second vacuum release subunits are spaced apart by a spacer structure, the entire spacer structure positioned lower than the first and the second adhesive layers.
31. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the chambers formed by the first and second vacuum release subunits are separate chambers.
32. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the first and second vacuum release subunits each comprise a separate vacuum release hole.
33. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the spacing material is conductive relative to the first and second adhesive layers.
34. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the spacing material is formed of a conductive metal.
35. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the device further includes a ground for grounding the first and second adhesive layers.
36. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the adhesive layer used in the vacuum release subunits comprises between 1%-50% by weight of a conductive additive.
37. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the adhesive layer used in the vacuum release subunits comprises between 1%-25% by weight of a conductive additive.
38. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the adhesive layer used in the vacuum release subunits comprises between 5%-50% by weight of a conductive additive.
39. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises between 5%-25% by weight of a conductive additive.
40. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises a carbon based powder or fiber.
41. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises a conductive polymer.
42. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises a conductive based powder or fiber.
43. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises metal coated fibers of carbon or glass.
44. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layer used in the vacuum release subunits comprises metal oxide coated substrates.
45. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises an intrinsically conductive polymer.
46. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises an inherently dissipative polymer.
47. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises nanoparticles coated with an intrinsically conductive polymer.
48. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, poly(phenylenevinylene), polyfluorene, and polyacetylene.
49. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the first and the second adhesive layers have different levels of tack.
50. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the vacuum release subunits are marked differently based on their different levels of tack.
51. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits do not slough.
52. A vacuum release device according to claim 30 wherein each of the first and the second adhesive layers used in the vacuum release subunits is between 0.1 mil and 35 mil thick.
53. The vacuum release device of claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer returns to its original form after the vacuum is released.
54. The vacuum release device of claim 29 wherein each separate adhesive layer is returned to its original shape by releasing the vacuum that is applied thereto.
55. A vacuum release device for temporarily immobilizing objects, the device comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of vacuum release subunits which can be operated independent of each other, each vacuum release subunit comprising
an adhesive layer over a surface of the substrate; and
a spacing material positioned between the substrate and the adhesive layer so as to form a chamber within which a vacuum may be formed, application of the vacuum causing the adhesive layer to recess toward the chamber;
wherein a spacer region is positioned between adjacent vacuum release subunits and separates the adjacent vacuum release subunits, the spacer region being below adhesive layers of the adjacent vacuum release subunits such as to allow a flat object to be placed across the adjacent vacuum release subunits without touching the surface of the spacer region.
56. A vacuum release device for temporarily immobilizing objects, the device comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of vacuum release subunits which can be operated independent of each other, each vacuum release subunit comprising
an adhesive layer over a surface of the substrate; and
a spacing material positioned between the substrate and the adhesive layer so as to form a chamber within which a vacuum may be formed, application of the vacuum causing the adhesive layer to recess toward the chamber;
wherein a spacer structure is positioned between adjacent vacuum release subunits and separates adhesive layers of the adjacent vacuum release subunits, the entire spacer structure being below the adhesive layers of the adjacent vacuum release subunits such as to allow an object to be placed across the adjacent vacuum release subunits without touching the surface of the spacer structure.