Automatic lifting device with separator valve

Abstract

The invention relates to a lifting device comprising a hoisting tube (12) connected to a vacuum source, the adjustable hoisting tube (12) being attached or fixed to a suction pad (5) with an internal volume and an edge that provides an airtight closure to the surface of an object during operation. The vacuum source puts the hoisting tube (12) under pressure, the internal volume of the hoisting tube (12) being connected to the internal volume of the suction pad (5) in such a way that air can flow from one to the other, the vacuum source providing a lifting force when the air flow into the hoisting tube (12) is restricted or blocked. The lifting device further comprises a valve unit (14) comprising a separator (15) which in at least one position reduces the air flow between the internal volume of the hoisting tube (12) and the internal volume of the suction pad (5) and which in at least one open position allows maximum air flow between the internal volume of the hoisting tube (12) and the internal volume of the suction pad (5). The valve unit (14) further comprises an actuator (6) that controls the position of the separator (15) during operation between an open position allowing maximum air flow through the valve unit (14) and a closed position allowing minimum air flow.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting device for vertically lifting and possibly horizontally repositioning an object, comprising a first unit configured with one or more catches, such as suction pads, and a second unit configured to control the vertical and, optionally, horizontal position of the object. [Background technology]

[0002] EP 0493979(A1) discloses a conventional vacuum lifting / hoisting device in which the expansion or contraction of a variable length bellows-shaped lift tube is controlled by controlling the vacuum level in the lift tube, which in turn is controlled by a user-operable valve to connect and / or isolate the interior of the lift tube to the atmosphere. Thus, in a fully open valve position, the interior of the lift tube is open to the atmosphere, there is no vacuum in the lift tube, and the lift tube descends to its maximum extended length, with the tube hanging vertically from the suspension point. Conversely, in a fully closed valve position, the vacuum is at a maximum and the tube rises to its maximum contracted position, resulting in a maximum lift height in use. Intermediate opening of the valve results in an intermediate position. The device according to EP 0493979(A1) discloses a vacuum lifting / lowering head 12 comprising a fixed upper handle 2 adapted to be grasped by one hand 3 of a user 4. The head 12 also comprises a movable lower handle 7 suitable for one-handed manual operation. A triangular opening 10 is provided in a portion of the head 12, to which a triangular valve member 11 in the form of a simple cover plate is attached to the lower handle 7 and is displaceable by the movement of the lower handle 7 by the user. With the opening 10 fully closed by the valve member 11, there is a maximum vacuum level in the lift tube 23, which therefore contracts in an accordion-like manner to a minimum length to bring the vacuum lift head to its maximum height. The first requirement is therefore for the user to lower the head 12 until it engages with the article 18 to be raised, repositioned and then lowered. Thus, with the palm of the user's hand 3 gripping the fixed handle 2, the user's fingers are directed downwards and engage and push downwards with the lower movable handle 7. This exposes the opening 10 until the lift head 12 suspended by the lift tube 23 comes into contact with the article 18 under the user's guidance by appropriately manipulating the fixed handle 2, and the vacuum in the lift tube 23 is eliminated by the rush of air through the opening 10, which exceeds the evacuation capacity of the associated vacuum pump. Lifting the movable handle 7 upward then partially closes the opening 10 and re-establishes the vacuum within both the lift tube 23 and the lift head 12 .Partial opening of opening 10 by valve member 11, to an extent controlled by the user, causes item 18 to be gripped and placed in a hover mode at a user-controllable height. As the user moves further upward with movable handle 7, opening 10 is fully closed by valve member 11 and item 18 can be raised to a maximum height and repositioned. As a result, in the reposition position, partial exposure of opening 10 by user control of valve member 11 lowers lift head 12 and item 18, while full exposure releases the previously raised, moved and lowered item 18.

[0003] WO2007094720 discloses a vacuum hoisting device having a vertical hoisting tube suspended at its upper end and connected to a vacuum source adapted to be switched on and off, the tube comprising at its lower end a suction foot, a positioning handle fixed to the suction foot for operating the suction foot, and a manually operated valve device for allowing the inflow of air into the hoisting tube such that the hoisting tube is axially expandable and contractible depending on the air pressure prevailing in the hoisting tube. The device comprises a tubular positioning handle, constituting an obliquely downward connection between the interior of the hoisting tube and the interior of the suction foot, and an outer axially slidably mounted gripping sleeve arranged between an upper end position and a lower end position, the gripping sleeve being connected by a connecting means to the manually operated valve device, the valve device being forced open when the gripping sleeve is slid towards the lower end position against the action of a spring. Without actuating the gripping sleeve, the valve device is closed and, with the aid of the operating suction source, the suction foot remains suspended motionless or is slowly raised to the upper lift position depending on the adjustment of the vacuum hoisting device. When the gripping sleeve is slid downwards, the valve device is opened, allowing air to flow into the hoisting tube, reducing the vacuum in the hoisting tube and lowering the suction foot. After the suction foot is positioned on the object, the gripping sleeve can be slid upwards, which closes the valve device, assisted by the spring force acting on the valve device, and the object is firmly attached to the suction foot, which causes it to be lifted upwards as the hoisting tube begins to contract due to the increased vacuum in the hoisting tube.

[0004] WO 21 / 110843 relates to a lifting device for vertically lifting and possibly horizontally repositioning an object, comprising a first unit configured with one or more catches, such as suction pads, and a second unit configured to control the vertical and, optionally, horizontal position of the object. The lifting device comprises a first unit (1) and a second unit (2), the first unit (1) configured to capture and / or hold an object and provide power to move the object vertically, and the second unit (2) configured to control the vertical position of the object, the first unit (1) comprising a fixed vertical extension (3), a horizontal extension (4) and a lifting part (12) such as a hoisting tube having first and second mounting positions, in the first mounting position the lifting part (12) is attached or fixed to the horizontal extension (4) and in the second mounting position the lifting part (12) is attached or fixed to a longitudinal member (11), the longitudinal member (11) comprising a capture part (5) such as a suction pad. The sliding member (10) is configured to slide in two directions along the longitudinal member (11) between a first end position and a second end position, the actual position of the sliding member (10) relative to the longitudinal member (11) being configured to determine the lifting force of the lifting portion (12). The second unit (2) comprises a first mounting position and a second mounting position, the first mounting position being fixed to the vertical extension (3) of the first unit (1) and the second mounting position being fixed to the sliding member (10) of the first unit (1) by a rigid connection configured to transmit all movements induced by the second unit (2) at the second mounting position to the sliding member (10). This lifting device may also comprise a valve (14) with a plate (15) which provides a separation between the internal space and vacuum of the hoisting tube (12) and the internal space and vacuum of the suction pad (5), the valve (14) functioning by sliding the plate (15) between a forward position and a rearward position. However, the opening of this valve (14) and the position of the plate (15) must be fixed before the lifting operation and it is not possible to operate the valve during the lifting operation.The opening of the valve (14), i.e. the position of the plate (15), is used to apply pressure to the surface of the particular object being moved in order to reduce noise and energy consumption during use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] European Patent No. 0493979(A1) [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2007094720 Brochure [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 21 / 110843 Brochure Summary of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a lifting device having advantages with regard to improved control of an automatic lifting device, whereby the suction force can be further varied during operation by making it possible to open and close a valve during operation, thereby assisting the vacuum control performed by a primary vacuum control unit, such as a sliding member (10) configured to slide in two directions along a longitudinal member (11) between a first end position and a second end position, the actual position of the sliding member (10) relative to the longitudinal member (11) being configured to determine the lifting force of the lifting part (12).

[0007] Glossary Generally, any feature described by these words in the context of this specification may be used in one or all of the embodiments of the invention defined in this specification or the claims.

[0008] When two parts are fixed to one another, such as fixed, secured, fixedly, etc., it is meant that the two parts cannot be released from one another without destroying the parts, and the parts may be considered to be permanently attached to one another.

[0009] Air, the word "air" may generally be replaced with the word "gas", i.e., it is the functionality of air as a gas, i.e., a fluid, that is the relevant relation in this specification, and not its composition per se. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a prior art riser as disclosed in WO 21 / 110843; [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] In this detailed description, units having the same or similar functions in different embodiments have the same reference numbers.

[0012] In general, the present invention relates to a lifting or hoisting device having a similar function as described with respect to the prior art, where a vacuum lift tube in operation is continuously brought to a low pressure by a pump, and an opening in the lift tube determines the pressure inside the lift tube and whether the object is raised, lowered or kept at a constant height.

[0013] The lifting device according to the invention may be applied for lifting any kind of object with a smooth surface on which the suction pad can be associated with a vacuum, for example the object may be a bag, sack, bucket, barrel, package, box, etc. The lifting device according to the invention may be advantageously applied when lifting objects with a soft or flexible outer surface, such as bags or sacks.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged view of a part of a lifting device known from the prior art. This lifting device comprises a suction pad 5 attached to a longitudinal member 11 with a central opening 24. The lifting device also comprises a valve 14 that can provide a separation between the internal space and vacuum of the hoisting tube 12 and the internal space or vacuum of the suction pad 5. The valve 14 in FIG. 1 is box-shaped, arranged between the sliding member 10 and the suction pad 5, and when the valve 14 is closed, a low pressure can be maintained inside the hoisting tube 12 without an object being attached to the suction pad 5. The valve 14 is located directly above the suction cup 5. The valve 14 comprises a so-called drop-off valve (not shown in FIG. 1). The drop-off valve 16, best seen in FIG. 3, allows the pressure to be equalized between the inside of the suction cup and the surrounding atmosphere. When this happens, the suction cup 5 will lose its load-bearing capacity, therefore the drop-off valve is used to release the product from the suction cup. The disadvantage of this is that when the product is released, the pressure in both the longitudinal member 12 and the hoisting tube 11 will drop accordingly and the hoisting tube 11 will therefore lose its lifting ability. Typically the hosting tube will fall (collapse) on the product that has just been released. To prevent this, the valve 14 is equipped with a throttle valve with a plate 15 that can cover the opening of the valve towards the lower part 30 of the longitudinal member 11.

[0015] The plate 15 can be slid to a closed position where it covers the opening. The plate 15 can also be slid to an open position. The plate 15 can be in all positions between these two end positions, allowing detailed control of the intake of air through the opening 25 between the longitudinal member 11 and the suction pad 5.

[0016] As best seen in Figure 3, the plate 15 includes a notch / opening which prevents the plate 15 from completely blocking air flow between the valve 14 and the lower portion 30 of the longitudinal member 11, and therefore prevents the suction cup 15 from unintentionally releasing a product attached to it when the plate is moved to its closed position.

[0017] The minimum opening is during the lifting operation used when the suction cup is used to lift a product with a surface that forms a suitable tight bond between the suction cup and the product. The reduced opening defined by the notch entails that pressure is not fully equalized between the suction cup and the lifting tube when the release valve is opened 16, thus preventing collapse of the lifting tube 12 when releasing the product.

[0018] If the system is used to lift products with surfaces that do not form a tight bond between the suction cup and the product, it may be necessary to adjust the suction power in the system to compensate for this. According to one embodiment of the present invention, this is accomplished by opening a throttle valve to allow for greater air flow between valve 14 and the bottom of longitudinal member 30.

[0019] The size of the opening, determined by the position of plate 15, is determined before the lifting operation is performed and is used to adapt the suction to the surface of the object to be moved, and the size of the opening defined by plate 15 is adapted to reduce noise and energy consumption during operation.

[0020] According to the invention it is realised that by means of the adjustment mechanism 15, 20 a tight connection between the product to be lifted and the suction cup 5 can be quickly achieved.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, this is done by connecting the plate 15 to an actuator 6. The actuator 6 may be adapted so that an operator can actuate the actuator 6 and thereby adjust the size of the opening between the lower part 30 of the longitudinal member and the valve 14. However, the actuator 6 may also be connected to a computer-controlled controller to achieve a computer-controlled lifting process. The idea behind the actuator actuating plate 15 is to displace the plate 15 to expand or fully open the opening 25 when the suction cup is just above the lifted workpiece (in the immediate vicinity, usually less than 25 cm). When the opening 25 is expanded, the pressure in the lifting tube 12 decreases while an increased air flow flows through the suction cup. When the pressure in the lifting tube decreases, the lifting tube lengthens and the suction cup moves towards the workpiece, which it hits while the air flow through the suction cup increases.

[0022] This involves a quick and secure clamping of the workpiece to the suction cup and as soon as this occurs the pressure within the winding tube 12 drops and a corresponding lifting force is generated.

[0023] Once a workpiece is attached to the suction cup, the airflow through valve 14 is reduced, thus reducing or eliminating the requirement for the extended opening 20. Thus, an operator or computer can actuate the actuator to move the plate towards a more closed position. This more closed position is typically maintained until lift is complete and the product is released by the operator or computer actuating the actuator to open the release valve. As plate 15 occupies the more closed position in which airflow through the valve is throttled by the plate, the internal pressure of tube 12 does not correspondingly decrease with the pressure in suction cup 5. Thus, the actuator 6 can be actuated to open opening 25 to hold the suction cup while it is moved to a new workpiece where the process is repeated.

[0024] FIG. 2 discloses a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a valve unit 14 of a lifting device according to the invention.

[0025] Typically, the valve unit 14 is located between the hoisting tube 12 and the suction pad 5 during operation, the valve unit 14 having an internal opening 8, an upper opening 1 through which air may flow between the valve unit 14 and the internal volume of the hoisting tube 12, and a lower opening 2 through which air may flow between the valve unit 14 and the internal volume of the suction pad 5. The valve unit 14 may also include a drop-off valve 16 and an opening 18 through which air may flow when the drop-off valve is activated. When the drop-off valve 16 is not activated, the drop-off valve 16 blocks the opening 18 and prevents air flow through the opening 18.

[0026] The valve unit 14 comprises a separator in the form of a plate 15 which can be moved between two positions: an open position allowing maximum air flow, and a closed position allowing minimum air flow. In figure 2 the plate 15 is shown in the open position allowing maximum air flow between the valve unit 14 and the hoisting tube 12.

[0027] The plate 15 may be provided with a small opening 3 that allows a minimum air flow between the hoisting tube 12 and the valve unit 14 when the plate 15 is in the closed position. Alternatively, the small opening 3 may appear as a slit between the edge of the plate 15 and the edge of the upper opening 1, or as several small openings.

[0028] The valve unit 14 shown in Fig. 2 comprises a housing 4. The housing 4 provides for easy installation of the components of the valve unit 14, as the components can be fixed and / or connected to the housing 4, after which the housing 4 can be placed between the hoisting tube 12 and the suction pad 5 such that air flowing between the hoisting tube 12 and the suction pad 5 flows through the valve unit 14.

[0029] In general, the separator 15 may slide back and forth between an open position, in which the separator 15 does not block, or at least minimally blocks, the airway between the suction pad 5 and the hoisting tube 12, and a closed position, in which the separator 15 maximally blocks the airway between the suction pad 5 and the hoisting tube 12. According to the embodiment of the valve unit 14 shown in Figure 2, the separator 15 is shaped as a rectangular plate 15 with a semicircular opening 3 at its front edge.

[0030] Typically, the separator 15 comprises fastening means 19 for fixing and / or connecting the separator 15 to the actuator 6. According to the embodiment of Figure 2, the separator or plate 15 comprises openings corresponding to fastening means 19 connected to the actuator 6, said fastening means 19 being in the form of a locking plate fastened to the moveable end of the actuator 6.

[0031] Generally, the valve unit 14 comprises guide means for precisely guiding the separator 15 between the open and closed positions. According to the embodiment of Fig. 2, the guide means comprises an opening 20 in the upper wall of the housing 4 combined with a cover plate 21 through which the plate 15 can move only in two directions - forwards and backwards - along a straight line. During operation or after manufacture of the valve unit 14, the cover plate 21 is fastened to the housing 4 by fastening means 22, for example in the form of a screw.

[0032] The drop-off valve 16 may also be moved between an open and a closed position, but the drop-off valve 16 normally has only two positions: open and closed. Either the drop-off valve 16 is fully open, allowing air to flow freely in and out of the opening 18, or the drop-off valve 16 is fully closed, in which position air cannot pass through the opening 18. To ensure that air does not pass through the opening 18 in the closed position, the drop-off valve 16 is provided with a seal in the form of a sealing ring 23. According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the drop-off valve 16 may be pushed back and forth along the arrow between the open and closed positions.

[0033] The actuators 6 and 7 for the separator 15 and the drop-off valve 16 may be of any available type.

[0034] FIG. 3 discloses an exploded view of one embodiment of the valve unit 14 of the lifting device according to the invention.

[0035] Operation of the lifting device The length of the hoisting tube 12 is determined by the magnitude of the pressure inside the hoisting tube 12: the lower the pressure, the shorter the hoisting tube 12 and the higher the object attached to the raised suction pad 5. According to both the prior art lifting device and the lifting device according to the invention, the pressure inside the hoisting tube 12 is controlled by an external vacuum source (not shown).

[0036] During the lifting procedure with a prior art hoisting tube, first the pressure in the hoisting tube 12 is reduced, shortening the hoisting tube 12 and thereby lifting the suction pad 5 attached to the lower end of the hoisting tube 12 to a position above the object to be lifted. When the suction pad 5 is in a position above the object to be lifted, the pressure inside the hoisting tube 12 is increased, for example by controlling the inlet of air to the hoisting tube 12 via the valve 13 which is open, or by controlling the pressure provided by a vacuum source. The increase in pressure inside the hoisting tube 12 increases the length of the hoisting tube 12 and thus lowers the suction pad 5 to the object to be lifted. When the suction pad 5 reaches the object to be lifted, the surface of the object blocks the air flow through the suction pad 5 and therefore the pressure inside the hoisting tube 12 decreases as the vacuum source reduces the pressure inside the hoisting tube 12. The object is then lifted as the valve 13 is closed. The object may then be moved to a new position suspended from the suction pad 5, lowered from the suction pad 5 and released at the new position, for example by actuating the drop-off valve 16.

[0037] During the ascent procedure, the ascent device according to the invention is used to first reduce and shorten the pressure in the hoisting tube 12, thereby ascenting the suction pad 5 attached to the lower end of the hoisting tube 12. The suction pad is then moved above the object to be ascent. When the suction pad 5 is ascented without an object attached, the separator 15 is usually moved towards a closed position. This reduces the energy required to maintain the required low pressure inside the hoisting tube 12, and the suction force is reduced accordingly. When the suction pad 5 is positioned above the object to be ascent, the separator 15 may be moved to a maximum open position which increases the pressure inside the hoisting tube 12 and causes the suction pad 5 to "drop" onto the object to be ascent. The drop in combination with the large air flow caused by the open separator 15 usually results in a strong hold by the suction pad 5 on the object. The object is then ascented by controlling the valve 13 or a similar valve. The opening of the separator 15 may be regulated during the ascent, for example by automatic control. When the suction pad reaches the object, the opening of the separator 15 can be partially closed again to avoid the length of the winding tube 12 continuing to expand.

[0038] As shown in figure 1, the suction cup 5 is preferably provided with a rubber lip 17. The rubber lip 17 may be mounted in a groove / recess in the side of the suction cup 5.

[0039] Thus, when the separator 15 is in use, the rubber lip 17 will experience increased wear if the suction cup 5 is subjected to a force of hitting (dropping) against the object being lifted. This is particularly relevant when the suction cup 5 is used to lift multi-sided objects such as suitcases / luggage at airports. These objects often have different surfaces for different areas on the individual object, and therefore the suction cup may "drop" into a hard depression which may destroy the rubber lip. This may be the case, for example, when a soft bag contains a hard object that bulges. This may also be the case when the bag contains a zipper.

[0040] Therefore, the lip requires fast replacement.

[0041] In one embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, this increased wear is prevented by making the rubber lip 17 from a resilient material and by reciprocally fitting it into the recess 26 so that the rubber lip 17 can be fully or partially deformed within the recess as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0042] 4 and 5, the recesses 26 in these embodiments are formed with rounded edges 27. This further prevents the rubber lip from being damaged against the edges 27 when the rubber lip is pressed into the recesses 26.

[0043] By fitting the recess and the rubber lip to one another it is achieved that the very edge of the suction cup absorbs the forces that arise when the suction cup "drops" for example onto a local bump / edge of an object. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Top opening 2 Lower opening 3. The smallest opening that allows the smallest airflow through the separator 15 4 Valve unit housing 5. Capture unit, e.g., suction pad 6 Separator actuator 7 Drop-off valve actuator7 8. Inner volume of valve unit 9 Control members or handles for control members 10 Sliding member 11 Longitudinal members 12 rising part, e.g. hoisting tube 13 Valve opening such as the opening in 11 14 Valve unit 15 Separator end stage inside valve unit 14 16 Drop-off valve 17 Rubber or foam lip 18 Drop-off valve opening 19 Fastening means for fastening the separator to the actuator 6 20 Guide means for guiding the separator 15 relative to the housing 4 21 Cover plate 22 Fastening means for cover plate 23 Seal for drop-off valve 16 24 11 central opening 25 Opening between the longitudinal member and the suction pad 5 26 Recesses / grooves

Claims

1. A lifting device comprising a lifting tube (12) connected to an adjustable vacuum source, said lifting tube (12) being attached or fixed to a suction pad (5) having an interior volume and edges that provide an airtight closure to the surface of the object during operation; - said vacuum source provides a lifting force when the hoisting tube (12) is under pressure and the internal volume of the hoisting tube (12) is connected to the internal volume of the suction pad (5) in such a way that air can flow from one side to the other, and when the air flow into the hoisting tube (12) is restricted or blocked, the lifting device further comprises a valve unit (14) with a separator (15) which, in at least one position, reduces the air flow between the internal volume of the hoisting tube (12) and the internal volume of the suction pad (5) and, in at least one open position, allows maximum air flow between the internal volume of the hoisting tube (12) and the internal volume of the suction pad (5), wherein the valve unit (14) further comprises an actuator (6) for controlling the position of the separator (15) during operation between an open position allowing maximum air flow through the valve unit (14) and a closed position allowing minimum air flow. Lifting device.

2. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the valve unit (14) comprises a housing (4) with an upper opening (1), a lower opening (2) and an internal volume (8), and wherein air can flow through the openings (1, 2) and the volume (8) between the hoisting tube (12) and the suction pad (5) during operation.

3. 2. Lifting device according to claim 1, wherein said separator (15) consists of a plate, i.e. a flat article, optionally of rectangular periphery.

4. 2. A lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the valve unit (14) comprises guide means (20, 21) such as a track for guiding the separator (15) along a straight line between the open and closed positions.

5. 2. A lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the hoisting tube (12) at its lower end is attached or fixed to a first end of a longitudinal member (11), and the longitudinal member (11) at its second end is attached or fixed to the valve unit (14), and wherein a sliding member (10) is configured to slide in two directions along the longitudinal member (11) between a first end position and a second end position, and wherein the actual position of the sliding member (10) relative to the longitudinal member (11) determines the lifting force of the pressure control system.

6. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal member (11) comprises a central opening through which air can be forced, the longitudinal member (11) is configured with a valve opening (13) extending in the longitudinal direction of a wall of the longitudinal member (11), the valve opening (13) allowing air to flow between the central opening and the surroundings, the valve opening (13) being configured such that the valve opening (13) can be covered by the sliding member (10) when the sliding member (10) is in the first end position, while the valve opening (13) is not covered or only partially covered by the sliding member (10) when the sliding member (10) is in the second end position.

7. 2. Lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the suction pad (5) comprises a flexible or resilient lip (17) that provides an airtight closure against the surface of the object to be lifted.

8. 2. A lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible or resilient lip (17) is arranged in a groove (26) extending around the entire periphery of the suction pad (5).

9. 2. A lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the lip (17) of the suction pad (5) is sufficiently flexible to be forced into the groove (26) when subjected to pressure.

10. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the lip (17) and the groove (26) of the suction pad (5) are adapted to one another in such a way that, when an object is attached to the suction pad by a pressure difference, the lip is pressed under elastic deformation into the groove (26) of the suction pad (5), in which a pressure difference between the object and the suction pad is essentially generated between the suction pad and the object.

11. 10. A method for lifting and moving an object by means of a lifting device according to claim 1, said method comprising: - creating a pressure in the winding tube that is lower than ambient pressure; - controlling the height of the suction pad by adjusting the pressure inside the hoisting tube; - moving the suction pad to a position above the object to be lifted; - actuating the actuator to move the separator towards the open position, thereby controlling the pressure inside the suction tube so that the suction pad descends onto the object to be lifted, thereby attaching the object to the suction pad; - Lifting the object by controlling the pressure inside the hoisting tube; - moving the object by moving the suction pad; A method comprising:

12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: actuating the actuator to move the separator toward a closed position while moving the product.

13. 12. The method for lifting and moving an object by a lifting device according to claim 11, further comprising the step of adjusting pressure inside the hoisting tube to maintain the object attached to the suction pad while moving.

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