WO1988003462A1 - Material handling device - Google Patents

Material handling device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1988003462A1
WO1988003462A1 PCT/SE1987/000528 SE8700528W WO8803462A1 WO 1988003462 A1 WO1988003462 A1 WO 1988003462A1 SE 8700528 W SE8700528 W SE 8700528W WO 8803462 A1 WO8803462 A1 WO 8803462A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
carrier
bellow
ring shaped
elements
actuating device
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE1987/000528
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ulf Karlsson
Original Assignee
Ulf Karlsson
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ulf Karlsson filed Critical Ulf Karlsson
Publication of WO1988003462A1 publication Critical patent/WO1988003462A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
    • B25J15/00—Gripping heads and other end effectors
    • B25J15/06—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means
    • B25J15/0616—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means with vacuum
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
    • B65G47/91—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
    • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
    • B66C1/02—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by suction means
    • B66C1/0212—Circular shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
    • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
    • B66C1/02—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by suction means
    • B66C1/0231—Special lip configurations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
    • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
    • B66C1/02—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by suction means
    • B66C1/0293—Single lifting units; Only one suction cup
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
    • F16J3/00—Diaphragms; Bellows; Bellows pistons
    • F16J3/06—Bellows pistons

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a material actuating device of the type having a bellow carrier adapted to perform movements in three different directions, and which is provided with means for causing a pressure in the space limited by the bellow carrier being different from the ambient atmospheric pressure.
  • Material actuating devices of this type may be used in industrial robotics and may be designed to hold, lift or move a material by using vacuum.
  • the bellows should be designed so as to be rigid i directions perpendicular to the axis of the bellows. This will decrease the ability of the bellows to adjust itself to the shape of the material to be actuated. Therefore it is common practise to choose different devices depending on whether or not only vertically directed forces should be taken into account.
  • the present invention has for its object to provide a material actuating device having a good ability to adjust itself at the gripping appliance and which is able to transmit substantial forces i three different directions while retaining its ability to grip materials of a broad variety.
  • the bellow carrier comprises a number of axially interconnected, ring shaped elements, each of said elements having walls substantially completely surrounding the ring shaped inner space of the element.
  • FIG. 1 and 2 schematically and in vertical section show two different embodiments of material actuating devices according to the invention.
  • the material actuating device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a bellow carrier 1, comprising a number of axially disposed and interconnected, ring shaped elements 2.
  • Each element 2 has walls 3 totally limiting the ring shaped inner space 4 of the element. Said space may be filled with air or a liquid.
  • the carrier 1 has disc shaped end elements 5, 6 preferably made of metal.
  • the one designated by 5 has a tube connection 7 to the inner space 8 of the carrier 1 as well as a tube connection 9 being passed through the other end element 6.
  • the end element 6 has a ring shaped gland 10 adapted to engage a surface of the object to be handled.
  • the walls 3 of the element 2 are made of a thin plastic material which will make it stiff in the directions of the layor of the plastic material, but allow bending in all other directions.
  • the walls may alternatively be made of reinforced rubber cloths.
  • Fig. 1 The device shown in Fig. 1 will operate as follows:
  • the air pressure in the space of the carrier 1 may be changed causing variations of the distance between the end elements 5 and 6.
  • the gland 10 may thus be caused to forcibly abut an object to be moved.
  • a vacuum may now be erected in the space limited by the end element 6, the gland 10 and the object to be handled. Said object will now be firmly fixed also relative to the end element 5 because of the rather great stiffness of the bellow carrier 1 i directions perpendicular to the axis of the bellows.
  • the end element 5 may be rigidly connected to remote controlled devices which may turn and move the end element 5 in all directions.
  • the device shown in Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 thereby that the lower end element 6 as well as the tube connection 9 and the gland 10 have been omitted.
  • the tube connection 7 has been connected to the inner space 8 of the bellow carrier 1.
  • a tube 11 connects a reservoir 12 tothe inner space of the ring shaped element 2 adjacent to the upper end element 5.
  • the inner space 4 of said element 2 is connected to the adjacent element 2 through small openings 13 in walls otherwise separating the interiors 4 of adjacent elements 2.
  • the device shown in Fig. 2 has a very good ability to adapt itself to an irregular shape of an object to be handled.
  • the lowermost, ring shaped element 2 may be forced downwardly relative the end element 5 by supplying compressed air or a pressure liquid through the tube connection 11.
  • a vacuum may be erected in the inner space 8 of the carrier 1 and the said object may be rigidly retained in all directions relative to the end element 5, which is supposed to be remote controlled and movable in all directions.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
  • Robotics (AREA)

Abstract

A material handling device is provided with bellows (1) being a part of its gripping member. The bellows (1) consist of a number of axially disposed and interconnected, ring shaped elements (2), and each element (2) has thin walls (3) nearly totally surrounding the inner space (4) of the element (2). Said inner space (4) is filled with a gas or a liquid.

Description

MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE
This invention relates to a material actuating device of the type having a bellow carrier adapted to perform movements in three different directions, and which is provided with means for causing a pressure in the space limited by the bellow carrier being different from the ambient atmospheric pressure.
Material actuating devices of this type may be used in industrial robotics and may be designed to hold, lift or move a material by using vacuum.
However, if it is additionally a must that the material or the object to be moved should be turned or diverted in its direction during transportation, the bellows should be designed so as to be rigid i directions perpendicular to the axis of the bellows. This will decrease the ability of the bellows to adjust itself to the shape of the material to be actuated. Therefore it is common practise to choose different devices depending on whether or not only vertically directed forces should be taken into account.
The present invention has for its object to provide a material actuating device having a good ability to adjust itself at the gripping appliance and which is able to transmit substantial forces i three different directions while retaining its ability to grip materials of a broad variety.
This is according to the present invention obtained thereby that the bellow carrier comprises a number of axially interconnected, ring shaped elements, each of said elements having walls substantially completely surrounding the ring shaped inner space of the element.
The invention will be described below reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2 schematically and in vertical section show two different embodiments of material actuating devices according to the invention.
The material actuating device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a bellow carrier 1, comprising a number of axially disposed and interconnected, ring shaped elements 2. Each element 2 has walls 3 totally limiting the ring shaped inner space 4 of the element. Said space may be filled with air or a liquid.
The carrier 1 has disc shaped end elements 5, 6 preferably made of metal. The one designated by 5 has a tube connection 7 to the inner space 8 of the carrier 1 as well as a tube connection 9 being passed through the other end element 6. The end element 6 has a ring shaped gland 10 adapted to engage a surface of the object to be handled.
The walls 3 of the element 2 are made of a thin plastic material which will make it stiff in the directions of the layor of the plastic material, but allow bending in all other directions. The walls may alternatively be made of reinforced rubber cloths.
The device shown in Fig. 1 will operate as follows:
By using the tube connection 7 the air pressure in the space of the carrier 1 may be changed causing variations of the distance between the end elements 5 and 6. The gland 10 may thus be caused to forcibly abut an object to be moved. By use of the tube connection 9 a vacuum may now be erected in the space limited by the end element 6, the gland 10 and the object to be handled. Said object will now be firmly fixed also relative to the end element 5 because of the rather great stiffness of the bellow carrier 1 i directions perpendicular to the axis of the bellows.
The end element 5 may be rigidly connected to remote controlled devices which may turn and move the end element 5 in all directions. The device shown in Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 thereby that the lower end element 6 as well as the tube connection 9 and the gland 10 have been omitted. The tube connection 7 has been connected to the inner space 8 of the bellow carrier 1. A tube 11 connects a reservoir 12 tothe inner space of the ring shaped element 2 adjacent to the upper end element 5. The inner space 4 of said element 2 is connected to the adjacent element 2 through small openings 13 in walls otherwise separating the interiors 4 of adjacent elements 2.
The device shown in Fig. 2 has a very good ability to adapt itself to an irregular shape of an object to be handled.
The lowermost, ring shaped element 2 may be forced downwardly relative the end element 5 by supplying compressed air or a pressure liquid through the tube connection 11. After a possible substantial deformation of the bellow carrier 1 caused by its abutting the object to be handled, a vacuum may be erected in the inner space 8 of the carrier 1 and the said object may be rigidly retained in all directions relative to the end element 5, which is supposed to be remote controlled and movable in all directions.

Claims

1. A material actuating device of the type having a bellow carrier (1) adapted to perform movements in three different directions, and which is provided with means (7) for causing a pressure in the space (8) limited by the bellow carrier (1) being different from the ambient atmospheric pressure, c ha ra c t e r i s e d in that the bellow carrier (1) comprises a number of axially interconnected, ring shaped elements (2), each of said elements (2) having walls (3) substantially completely surrounding the ring shaped inner space (4) of the element.
2. A material actuating device according to claim 1, chara c t e r i s e d in that said walls (3) are made of a thin layor of material being stiff in the directions of its surface - e.g. a rubber impregnated woven material or a flexible plastic material.
3. A material actuating device according to claim 1, charac t e r i se d in that the ring shaped inner space (4) of one of the elements (2) is connected to a reservoir (12) for a liquid or gaseous medium.
4. A material actuating device according to claim 3, charac t e r i se d in that the inner spaces (4) of at least two adjacent elements (2) are provided with a direct interconnection (13).
PCT/SE1987/000528 1986-11-13 1987-11-11 Material handling device WO1988003462A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE8604861-8 1986-11-13
SE8604861A SE8604861D0 (en) 1986-11-13 1986-11-13 MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1988003462A1 true WO1988003462A1 (en) 1988-05-19

Family

ID=20366279

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/SE1987/000528 WO1988003462A1 (en) 1986-11-13 1987-11-11 Material handling device

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0322421A1 (en)
SE (1) SE8604861D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1988003462A1 (en)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0534778A2 (en) * 1991-09-25 1993-03-31 University Of Bristol Controlled flexure element
EP0567685A1 (en) * 1992-04-30 1993-11-03 Unitech Industries,Inc. Fully rotatable vacuum lift with self contained utility lines
US6419291B1 (en) 2001-02-26 2002-07-16 John Preta Adjustable flexible vacuum gripper and method of gripping
US6427746B1 (en) 1998-03-23 2002-08-06 Fmc Technologies, Inc. Labeling apparatus with enhanced bellows including flexible coil tube and associated method
US6792992B2 (en) 2002-03-15 2004-09-21 Fmc Technologies Inc. Label application device including a flow control element
JP2017056510A (en) * 2015-09-15 2017-03-23 株式会社東芝 Adsorption support equipment and article gripping device
EP3473565A1 (en) * 2017-10-19 2019-04-24 SMC Deutschland GmbH Vacuum suction cup with actively variable length
US11267137B1 (en) * 2019-11-25 2022-03-08 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Controlling end effector suction area using expandable bladder
DE102020126423A1 (en) 2020-10-08 2022-04-14 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft suction cups
FR3135762A1 (en) * 2022-05-18 2023-11-24 Jean Ferras Double channel telescopic cylinder

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1986001493A1 (en) * 1984-09-04 1986-03-13 Watkiss Automation Limited Valve mechanism
WO1986003816A1 (en) * 1984-12-17 1986-07-03 Komatsu Ltd., Flexible actuator

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1986001493A1 (en) * 1984-09-04 1986-03-13 Watkiss Automation Limited Valve mechanism
WO1986003816A1 (en) * 1984-12-17 1986-07-03 Komatsu Ltd., Flexible actuator

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0534778A2 (en) * 1991-09-25 1993-03-31 University Of Bristol Controlled flexure element
EP0534778A3 (en) * 1991-09-25 1993-12-08 Univ Bristol Controlled flexure element
EP0567685A1 (en) * 1992-04-30 1993-11-03 Unitech Industries,Inc. Fully rotatable vacuum lift with self contained utility lines
US6427746B1 (en) 1998-03-23 2002-08-06 Fmc Technologies, Inc. Labeling apparatus with enhanced bellows including flexible coil tube and associated method
US6419291B1 (en) 2001-02-26 2002-07-16 John Preta Adjustable flexible vacuum gripper and method of gripping
US6792992B2 (en) 2002-03-15 2004-09-21 Fmc Technologies Inc. Label application device including a flow control element
JP2017056510A (en) * 2015-09-15 2017-03-23 株式会社東芝 Adsorption support equipment and article gripping device
US10434663B2 (en) 2015-09-15 2019-10-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Vacuum device and article holding device
EP3473565A1 (en) * 2017-10-19 2019-04-24 SMC Deutschland GmbH Vacuum suction cup with actively variable length
US11267137B1 (en) * 2019-11-25 2022-03-08 Amazon Technologies, Inc. Controlling end effector suction area using expandable bladder
DE102020126423A1 (en) 2020-10-08 2022-04-14 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft suction cups
FR3135762A1 (en) * 2022-05-18 2023-11-24 Jean Ferras Double channel telescopic cylinder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0322421A1 (en) 1989-07-05
SE8604861D0 (en) 1986-11-13

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