Patent ID: 7278198

Claim:
A material handling system comprising: an arm that rotates about an A-axis, the arm having a Z 1 -axis in fixed relation to the arm and perpendicular to the A-axis, and having a Z 2 -axis in fixed relation to the arm and parallel to the Z 1 -axis so that the Z 1 -axis and Z 2 -axis rotate together about the A-axis; a bridge carried by the arm, the bridge having a Y 1 -axis maintained perpendicular to the Z 1 -axis and a Y 2 -axis maintained perpendicular to the Z 2 -axis, the bridge also having an X 1 -axis maintained perpendicular to the Y 2 -axis, wherein the bridge translates relative to the arm along the Z 1 -axis and Z 2 -axis independently and the bridge translates relative to the arm along the Y 1 -axis and Y 2 -axis independently; a first gripper and a second gripper for gripping the material, wherein the first gripper and second gripper are carried by the bridge and translate along the X 1 -axis, and wherein: the first gripper and the second gripper are configured to translate along the Z 1 -axis and Z 2 -axis differentially to produce rotation of the material about a virtual B-axis perpendicular to the Z 1 -axis and Z 2 -axis; and the first gripper and the second gripper are translated along the Y 1 -axis and Y 2 -axis differentially to produce rotation of the material about a virtual C-axis perpendicular to the Y 1 -axis and Y 2 -axis.