Suction cylinder

Abstract

Provided is a suction cylinder having a small number of port parts and a simple configuration. A cylinder rod 2 has a columnar first portion 21, and a columnar second portion 22 connected to a rear end surface 21c and having a diameter smaller than that of the first portion 21 at the connection point. A cylinder block 3 has: a first accommodation hole part 31 having a step surface 311 that is a partial bottom surface, and accommodating the first portion 21 in such a manner that the step surface 311 faces a non-connection surface 211 that, in a rear end surface 21c, is exposed without being connected to the second portion 22; and a second accommodation hole part 32 having a bottom part 32a, communicating with the first accommodation hole part 31 to accommodate the second portion 22, and having a hole diameter smaller than that of the first accommodation hole part 31 at the communication point. There is formed a vacuum ventilation passage that passes through the first portion 21 and opens toward a closed space S1 surrounded by the non-connection surface 211, the step surface 311, a side surface 22b of the second portion, and the inner wall surface of the first accommodation hole part 31. A pressure reduction / suction port part 33 that communicates with the closed space S1 is provided, air in the closed space S1 being discharged therethrough to the outside.

Description

Suction Cylinder

[0001] The present invention relates to a suction cylinder.

[0002] In the manufacturing process of small electronic components such as semiconductor integrated circuits, it is common to transport small electronic components to another location by holding the components with a suction cylinder and then moving the suction cylinder to another location. For this reason, various suction cylinders suitable for such transportation methods have been known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4).

[0003] Patent No. 4794424 JP 11-117912 JP 11-287211 JP 2017-180556

[0004] Generally, a suction cylinder is equipped with a cylinder rod that approaches a small electronic component and picks up the component. The movement of the cylinder rod is achieved by feeding pressurized air from the outside into the suction cylinder through a port. Furthermore, the small electronic component is picked up by sucking air from the vacuum suction air passage inside the cylinder rod through a vacuum suction port. Thus, suction cylinders are equipped with a large number of ports depending on the application. However, having a large number of ports makes the overall configuration of the suction cylinder complex and likely to become large, so a suction cylinder with a simple configuration and few ports is desirable.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a suction cylinder with a small number of ports and a simple configuration.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides the following suction cylinder.

[0007] [1] A cylinder rod having: a first portion extending in a columnar shape between a front end surface and a rear end surface; and a columnar second portion connected to the rear end surface of the first portion and extending in an extension direction of the first portion, the second portion having a diameter relatively smaller than that of the first portion at least at a connection point with the first portion; a cylinder block having: a first accommodating hole portion having an opening and a stepped surface that is a partial bottom surface, extending from the opening in the extension direction to accommodate the first portion with the stepped surface facing a non-connected surface of the rear end surface of the first portion that is not connected to the second portion, and a second accommodating hole portion having a bottom, extending from the bottom in the extension direction to communicate with the first accommodating hole portion and accommodating the second portion, the hole diameter relatively smaller than that of the first accommodating hole at least at a communication point with the first accommodating hole portion; and a support member that supports the first portion and the second portion in a manner that they can move in the extension direction, a vacuum vent passage is formed inside the cylinder rod, the vacuum vent passage having an opening at the tip end surface of the first portion, extending from the opening in the extension direction to penetrate the first portion, and opening toward a closed space surrounded by the non-connecting surface of the first portion, the stepped surface of the first accommodating hole, the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole, and the side surface of the second portion; and the cylinder block has: a suction / suction port portion that communicates with the closed space and receives air from a predetermined vacuum device to discharge air from inside the closed space to the outside, thereby generating a suction thrust that draws the cylinder rod into the cylinder block and generates a suction force that attracts an object toward the opening at the tip end surface of the first portion; and a pressure port portion that communicates with a gap space between the bottom of the second accommodating hole and the second portion, and receives a supply of pressurized air from a predetermined air supply source and causes the pressurized air to flow into the gap space, thereby generating a pressing thrust that pushes the cylinder rod out of the cylinder block.

[0008] [2] The suction cylinder described in [1], wherein the length of the second portion of the cylinder rod along the extension direction is longer than the length of the hole of the second accommodating hole portion of the cylinder block along the extension direction, and the distance in the extension direction between the non-connecting surface of the first portion and the step surface of the first accommodating hole portion is equal to or greater than a predetermined minimum distance, and when the distance is the predetermined minimum distance, the vacuum suction vent path opens onto the side surface of the second portion that extends the predetermined minimum distance in the extension direction between the non-connecting surface and the step surface, and that faces the suction / suction port portion.

[0009] [3] The suction cylinder described in [1] or [2], wherein the central axis of the first part along the extension direction and the central axis of the second part along the extension direction are positioned apart from each other in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction.

[0010] [4] The support member is a bearing member provided on the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole portion and the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole portion, and supports the first part and the second part non-contactly in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction by spraying pressurized air onto the side surface of the first part and the side surface of the second part. [1] The suction cylinder described in [2].

[0011] [5] The suction cylinder according to [4], wherein the cylinder block has an air bearing port portion for supplying pressurized air to the bearing member.

[0012] [6] The support member is a sealing member provided between the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole and the side surface of the first part, and between the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole and the side surface of the second part, and supports the first part and the second part in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction while sealing between the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole and the side surface of the first part, and between the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole and the side surface of the second part. [1] An adsorption cylinder described in [2] or [3].

[0013] Unlike conventional suction cylinders (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4), the suction cylinder of the present invention does not require a separate port dedicated to generating suction thrust to draw the cylinder rod into the cylinder block. More specifically, in the suction cylinder of the present invention, the suction / suction port serves both as a suction port for drawing the cylinder rod and as a suction port for adsorbing the object to be adsorbed. As a result, the present invention achieves a suction cylinder with a simple configuration and few ports.

[0014] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder of this embodiment with the cylinder rod in a retracted state; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder of this embodiment with the cylinder rod in a protruding state; Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder of Figs. 1 and 2 in a suction process; Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder of Figs. 1 and 2 in a suction process; Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder of Figs. 1 and 2 in a transport (holding) process; Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder of Figs. 1 and 2 in a detachment process.

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and that appropriate design changes and improvements may be made based on the ordinary knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder 1 of this embodiment with the cylinder rod 2 in a retracted state, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the suction cylinder 1 of this embodiment with the cylinder rod 2 in an extended state.

[0017] The suction cylinder 1 includes a cylinder rod 2 and a cylinder block 3 .

[0018] The cylinder rod 2 has a first portion 21 and a second portion 22. The first portion 21 has a leading end surface 21a and a rear end surface 21c and is a columnar portion extending between the leading end surface 21a and the rear end surface 21c. The second portion 22 is a columnar portion connected to the rear end surface 21c of the first portion 21 and extending in the extending direction A of the first portion 21. The second portion 22 has a relatively smaller diameter than the first portion 21 at least at the connection point with the first portion 21. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the diameter of the second portion 22 at the connection point with the first portion 21 is approximately the same as the width of a connection surface 212 of the rear end surface 21c of the first portion 21 that is connected to the second portion 22. Therefore, the diameter of the second part 22 at the connection point with the first part 21 is smaller than the diameter of the first part 21 by the width of the non-connected surface 211 of the rear end face 21c that is exposed without being connected to the second part 22.

[0019] The cylinder block 3 has a first accommodating hole 31 and a second accommodating hole 32. The first accommodating hole 31 has an opening 31a and a stepped surface 311 that is a partial bottom surface, and is a hole that extends from the opening 31a in the extension direction A. The first accommodating hole 31 accommodates the first portion 21 of the cylinder rod 2 with the stepped surface 311 facing the non-connecting surface 211 of the first portion 21. The second accommodating hole 32 has a bottom 32a that extends from the bottom 32a in the extension direction A to communicate with the first accommodating hole 31 and accommodate the second portion 22. The second accommodating hole 32 has a smaller diameter than the first accommodating hole 31 at least at the portion that communicates with the first accommodating hole 31. Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hole diameter of the second accommodating hole portion 32 is approximately the same as the width of the connection surface 212 of the first part 21, and the hole diameter is smaller than that of the first accommodating hole portion 31 by the width of the step surface 311 of the first accommodating hole portion 31.

[0020] The suction cylinder 1 also includes support members that support the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction A. In this embodiment, the support members are a first bearing member 11 and a second bearing member 12.

[0021] The first bearing member 11 and the second bearing member 12 are members provided on the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole 31 and the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole 32, respectively. The first bearing member 11 and the second bearing member 12 support the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 in a non-contact manner so as to be movable in the extension direction A by ejecting pressurized air onto the side surface 21 b of the first portion 21 and the side surface 22 b of the second portion 22, respectively. This support allows the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 to move in the extension direction A while maintaining the orientation of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 extended in the extension direction A.

[0022] The first bearing member 11 and the second bearing member 12 may be made of any material that is permeable to pressurized air, such as a porous material. The cylinder block 3 is provided with a first air bearing port 35 and a second air bearing port 36 that supply pressurized air to the first bearing member 11 and the second bearing member 12, respectively. In this specification, the term "port" refers to both the so-called ports that open on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder block 3 and serve as air supply or discharge ports, and the air passages that lead from the ports to the internal space of the cylinder block 3.

[0023] The pressurized air supplied via the first air bearing port 35 and the second air bearing port 36 passes from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side of the first bearing member 11 and the second bearing member 12, which are made of a porous material or the like, and is ejected toward the side surface 21 b of the first portion 21 and the side surface 22 b of the second portion 22. The static pressure of the ejected pressurized gas supports the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 in a non-contact manner, allowing them to move in the extension direction A while maintaining their orientation extended in the extension direction A. The ejected pressurized gas is collected in an air collection space (not shown) and then exhausted to the outside of the suction cylinder 1 by an exhaust mechanism (not shown). The support mechanism for the cylinder rod 2 using the pressurized air supplied via the first air bearing port 35 and the second air bearing port 36 as described above is the same as that of conventional suction cylinders (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). Therefore, for a more detailed explanation of the support mechanism for the cylinder rod 2, reference should be made to prior art documents such as Patent Documents 1 to 3, and a more detailed explanation will be omitted here.

[0024] The cylinder rod 2 and the cylinder block 3 will be further described.

[0025] A vacuum vent passage 23 is formed inside the cylinder rod 2, having an opening 23a at the tip end surface 21a of the first portion 21 and extending from the opening 23a in the extension direction A to penetrate the first portion 21. On the opposite side to the opening 23a, the vacuum vent passage 23 opens toward a closed space S1 surrounded by the non-connecting surface 211 of the first portion 21, the stepped surface 311 of the first accommodating hole 31, the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole 31, and the side surface 22b of the second portion 22.

[0026] Meanwhile, the cylinder block 3 is provided with a suction / suction port 33 that communicates with the closed space S1 and receives air suction from a predetermined vacuum device (not shown) to discharge air from the closed space S1 to the outside. The suction / suction port 33 generates a suction thrust that draws the cylinder rod 2 into the cylinder block 3 by suctioning (discharging) air from the closed space S1. At the same time, the suction / suction port 33 also generates an attraction force that attracts an object (see object 10 in FIG. 3 described below) toward the opening 23 a in the tip surface 21 a of the first portion 21. For example, when air suction (discharge) is initiated through the suction / suction port 33 in the extended state shown in FIG. 2 , the cylinder rod 2 retracts upward in the figure while exerting an attraction force toward the opening 23 a in the tip surface 21 a, reaching the retracted state shown in FIG. 1 .

[0027] The cylinder block 3 also includes a pressure port 34 that communicates with the gap S2 between the second portion 22 and the bottom 32a of the second accommodating bore 32. The pressure port 34 receives pressurized air from a predetermined air supply source (not shown) and flows the pressurized air into the gap S2, thereby generating a thrust force that pushes the cylinder rod 2 out of the cylinder block 3. For example, when the supply of pressurized air through the pressure port 34 begins in the retracted state shown in FIG. 1 , the cylinder rod 2 moves forward downward in the drawing to reach the extended state shown in FIG. 2 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the rear end of the second portion 22, which has a rear end surface 22a, expands like a flange in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction A. During the forward movement, this rear end is caught within the second accommodating bore 32, limiting the amount of protrusion of the cylinder rod 2 within a predetermined range. The mechanism for advancing the cylinder block 3 by the pressurized air supplied through the pressure port 34 (including the aforementioned restriction on the amount of protrusion) is substantially the same as that of a conventional suction cylinder (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). For this reason, for a more detailed explanation of the advancing movement of the cylinder block 3, please refer to prior art documents such as Patent Documents 1 to 3, and further detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0028] Unlike conventional suction cylinders (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4), the suction cylinder 1 of this embodiment does not require a separate dedicated port for generating a suction thrust that draws the cylinder rod 2 into the cylinder block 3. More specifically, in the suction cylinder 1, the suction / suction port 33 serves both as a suction port for drawing the cylinder rod 2 and as a suction port for adsorbing the object to be adsorbed. As a result, this embodiment achieves a suction cylinder 1 with a small number of ports and a simple configuration.

[0029] 1 and 2 , in the suction cylinder 1 of this embodiment, the length of the second portion 22 of the cylinder rod 2 along the extension direction A is longer than the length of the hole of the second accommodating hole 32 of the cylinder block 3 along the extension direction A. Therefore, the distance in the extension direction A between the non-connecting surface 211 of the first portion 21 of the cylinder rod 2 and the step surface 311 of the first accommodating hole of the cylinder block 3 is not zero but is always equal to or greater than a predetermined minimum distance.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a state in which the distance between the non-connecting surface 211 and the stepped surface 311 in the extension direction A is the predetermined minimum distance. In this state, the cylinder rod 2 does not retract any further into the cylinder block 3 (does not retract upward in the figure). Therefore, in this state, the exhaust of air from the closed space S1 by the suction / suction port 33 contributes entirely to suction to the opening 23a formed in the tip surface 21a of the first portion 21 of the cylinder rod 2, rather than to the retraction of the cylinder rod 2. In this state, the vacuum vent 23 opens on the side surface 22b of the second portion 22 that extends the predetermined minimum distance in the extension direction A between the non-connecting surface 211 and the stepped surface 311, as shown in FIG. 1 , on the side surface 22b of the second portion 22 that faces the suction / suction port 33.

[0031] Therefore, even when the non-connecting surface 211 and the stepped surface 311 are closest to each other and the closed space S1 is at its smallest, an air flow path is secured from the vacuum suction air passage 23 to the suction / suction port portion 33. Furthermore, because the vacuum suction air passage 23 opens on the side surface 22b of the second portion 22 that faces the suction / suction port portion 33, air flows smoothly from the vacuum suction air passage 23 to the suction / suction port portion 33.

[0032] However, in the present invention, the vacuum vent passage needs only to open toward the closed space, and there is basically no limitation on the opening position of the vacuum vent passage in the closed space. For example, in the present invention, the vacuum vent passage may open to the non-connected surface of the first part.

[0033] Furthermore, in the suction cylinder 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the central axis of the first part 21 along the extension direction A and the central axis of the second part 22 along the extension direction A are located at positions separated from each other in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction A.

[0034] According to this configuration, even when one of the first part 21 and the second part 22 is about to rotate around its central axis, the presence of the other part suppresses that rotation, thereby suppressing the rotation of the entire cylinder rod.

[0035] 1 and 2, in the suction cylinder 1 of this embodiment, an adsorption member 13 is attached to the tip surface 21a of the first portion 21 of the cylinder rod 2. A through-hole communicating with the vacuum suction air passage 23 in the first portion 21 is formed in the center of the adsorption member 13, and the object to be adsorbed is adsorbed to the opening 23a of the vacuum suction air passage 23 in the tip surface 21a of the first portion 21 via the adsorption member 13. The adsorption member 13 can be made of a material with a high cushioning effect, such as an elastic material, so as to cushion the impact received by the object during adsorption.

[0036] The following describes a series of steps of suction, adsorption, transport (holding), and desorption in the adsorption cylinder 1 of this embodiment.

[0037] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the suction cylinder 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 during the suction process, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the suction cylinder 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 during the suction process, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the suction cylinder 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 during the transport (holding) process, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the suction cylinder 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 during the desorption process.

[0038] 3 to 6, as indicated by the thick left-facing arrows pointing toward the first air bearing port portion 35 and the second air bearing port portion 36, a constant amount of pressurized gas is continuously supplied to the first air bearing port portion 35 and the second air bearing port portion 36 throughout the entire process of suction, adsorption, transport (holding), and detachment. This is to allow movement of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 of the cylinder rod 2 in the extension direction A, while always maintaining the position of the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 extended in the extension direction A. Below, the intake and exhaust of air via the remaining ports excluding the first air bearing port portion 35 and the second air bearing port portion 36 will be explained for each of the processes of suction, adsorption, transport (holding), and detachment.

[0039] During the suction process in Fig. 3 , as indicated by the rightward thick arrows pointing away from the suction / suction port portion 33, air is exhausted from the closed space S1 via the suction / suction port portion 33 by suction using a predetermined vacuum device (not shown). Here, in Fig. 3 , similar to Fig. 1 , the distance in the extension direction A between the non-connection surface 211 and the step surface 311 is the predetermined minimum distance described above. Therefore, the exhaust of air from the closed space S1 by the suction / suction port portion 33 contributes entirely to the suction of the object 10 by the vacuum suction air passage 23, rather than to the retraction of the cylinder rod 2 (see the three thick arrows pointing toward the suction member 13).

[0040] In order to exert a large suction force on the target object 10, it is desirable to bring the suction member 13 (more precisely, the opening 23a of the vacuum suction passage 23 in the tip surface 21a of the first portion 21) at the tip of the cylinder rod 2, which exerts the suction force, as close as possible to the target object 10. Therefore, in the suction process shown in FIG. 4 , the cylinder rod 2 advances toward the target object 10 while suction is being performed via the suction / suction port 33 shown in FIG. 3 . Specifically, as indicated by the thick left-facing arrow pointing toward the pressure port 34, pressurized air is supplied from a predetermined air supply source through the pressure port 34. This pressurized air flows into the void space S2, pushing the cylinder rod 2 out of the cylinder block 3 and into the protruding state similar to that shown in FIG. 1 . At this time, the suction member 13 at the tip of the cylinder rod 2 approaches the target object 10, and the target object 10 is attracted to the suction member 13, as shown in FIG. 4 .

[0041] When the cylinder rod 2 is pushed out (advanced) out of the cylinder block 3, a pulling force acts on the cylinder rod 2, pulling it into the cylinder block 3, due to the suction of air in the closed space S1 via the suction / suction port 33. However, because the contribution of the pressurized air supplied via the pressure port 34 is relatively greater, the pushing force of this pressurized air exceeds the above-mentioned pulling force, and as a result, the cylinder rod 2 moves forward, realizing the protruding state shown in FIG.

[0042] Next, in the transport (holding) process shown in Figure 5, the suction via the suction / suction port 33 is strengthened by controlling the vacuum device to safely accommodate the cylinder rod 2 with the object 10 attached within the cylinder block 3 and to firmly hold the object 10 for transport. In Figure 5, this state is indicated by the large, bold arrow pointing rightward, moving away from the suction / suction port 33. Due to this strengthened suction, the retraction force on the cylinder rod 2 exceeds the pushing force of the pressurized air via the pressure port 34. At this time, as shown in Figure 5, the cylinder rod 2 retracts into the cylinder block 3, returning to the retracted position shown in Figure 3 while still holding the object 10. In this state, the object 10 is transported.

[0043] After the transportation is completed, in the detachment process shown in Fig. 6, the suction via the suction / suction port 33 is gradually weakened. As a result, the pushing force of the pressurized air via the pressure port 34 exceeds the pulling force caused by the suction via the suction / suction port 33, and the cylinder rod 2 begins to move forward, achieving the protruding state shown in Fig. 6. As the suction via the suction / suction port 33 gradually weakens, the suction force that has been holding the object 10 also weakens, and when the protruding state is reached as shown in Fig. 6, the object 10 is detached from the suction member 13.

[0044] The above is an explanation of the series of steps of suction, adsorption, transport (holding), and desorption in the adsorption cylinder 1.

[0045] In this way, the suction cylinder 1 can perform the series of processes of suction, adsorption, transport (holding), and detachment in the same way as conventional suction cylinders (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4), even though it does not have a port section dedicated to suction pressure that draws the cylinder rod 2 into the cylinder block 3.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the support members are the first bearing member 11 and the second bearing member 12, but the support members of the present invention may be sealing members. Another embodiment of the suction cylinder of the present invention in which the support members are sealing members will be briefly described below.

[0047] In the suction cylinder of this embodiment, the support members are sealing members provided between the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole 31 and the side surface 21 b of the first portion 21, and between the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole 32 and the side surface 22 b of the second portion 22. Typical examples of such sealing members include O-rings and gaskets. These sealing members support the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction A while sealing between the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole 31 and the side surface 21 b of the first portion 21, and between the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole 32 and the side surface 22 b of the second portion 22. The configuration of such sealing members is the same as that of O-rings and gaskets that are well known in the art, and therefore illustrations and detailed descriptions of the configurations will be omitted.

[0048] Except for the shape of the support member, the suction cylinder in this embodiment has the same components and performs the same functions as the suction cylinder 1 described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Therefore, for the suction cylinder in this embodiment, please refer to the description of Figures 1 to 6 above, and further detailed description will be omitted.

[0049] The above is a description of the embodiment.

[0050] In the above embodiment, an adsorption member 13 is provided at the tip of the cylinder rod 2, but in the present invention, if the object to be adsorbed is an object that is highly resistant to impact, it may be adsorbed directly to the cylinder rod without the aid of an adsorption member.

[0051] The present invention is useful for realizing a suction cylinder with a small number of ports and a simple configuration.

[0052] 1: suction cylinder, 2: cylinder rod, 3: cylinder block, 10: object to be sucked, 11: first bearing member, 12: second bearing member, 13: suction member, 21: first portion, 21a: front end surface, 21b: side surface, 21c: rear end surface, 22: second portion, 22a: rear end surface, 22b: side surface, 23: vacuum suction air passage, 23a: opening, 31: first accommodating hole portion, 31a: opening, 32: second accommodating hole portion, 32a: bottom portion, 33: suction / suction port portion, 34: pressure port portion, 35: first air bearing port portion, 36: second air bearing port portion, 211: non-connecting surface, 212: connecting surface, 311: step surface, A: extension direction, S1: closed space, S2: void space.

Claims

1. A cylinder rod having a first portion extending in a columnar shape between a front end surface and a rear end surface, and a columnar second portion connected to the rear end surface of the first portion and extending in the extension direction of the first portion, the second portion having a diameter relatively smaller than that of the first portion at least at the connection point with the first portion; a cylinder block having a first accommodating hole portion having an opening and a stepped surface that is a partial bottom surface, extending from the opening in the extension direction to accommodate the first portion with the stepped surface facing a non-connected surface of the rear end surface of the first portion that is not connected to the second portion; and a second accommodating hole portion having a bottom, extending from the bottom in the extension direction to communicate with the first accommodating hole portion and accommodating the second portion, the diameter of which is relatively smaller than that of the first accommodating hole at least at the connection point with the first accommodating hole; and a support member that supports the first portion and the second portion in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction, a vacuum vent passage is formed inside the cylinder rod, the vacuum vent passage having an opening at the tip end surface of the first portion, extending from the opening in the extension direction to penetrate the first portion, and opening toward a closed space surrounded by the non-connecting surface of the first portion, the stepped surface of the first accommodating hole, the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole, and the side surface of the second portion; and the cylinder block has: a suction / suction port portion that communicates with the closed space and receives air from a predetermined vacuum device to discharge air from inside the closed space to the outside, thereby generating a suction thrust that draws the cylinder rod into the cylinder block and generates a suction force that attracts an object toward the opening at the tip end surface of the first portion; and a pressure port portion that communicates with a gap space between the bottom of the second accommodating hole and the second portion, and receives a supply of pressurized air from a predetermined air supply source and causes the pressurized air to flow into the gap space, thereby generating a pressing thrust that pushes the cylinder rod out of the cylinder block.

2. A suction cylinder as described in claim 1, wherein the length of the second portion of the cylinder rod along the extension direction is longer than the length of the hole of the second accommodating hole portion of the cylinder block along the extension direction, the distance in the extension direction between the non-connecting surface of the first portion and the step surface of the first accommodating hole portion is equal to or greater than a predetermined minimum distance, and when the distance is the predetermined minimum distance, the vacuum vent path opens onto the side surface of the second portion that extends the predetermined minimum distance in the extension direction between the non-connecting surface and the step surface and that faces the suction / suction port portion.

3. An adsorption cylinder as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the central axis of the first portion along the extension direction and the central axis of the second portion along the extension direction are positioned apart from each other in a plane perpendicular to the extension direction.

4. The suction cylinder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support member is a bearing member provided on the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole portion and the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole portion, and supports the first part and the second part non-contactingly in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction by spraying pressurized air onto the side surface of the first part and the side surface of the second part.

5. The suction cylinder according to claim 4, wherein said cylinder block has an air bearing port portion for supplying pressurized air to said bearing member.

6. The support member is a sealing member provided between the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole and the side surface of the first part, and between the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole and the side surface of the second part, and supports the first part and the second part in a manner that allows them to move in the extension direction while sealing between the inner wall surface of the first accommodating hole and the side surface of the first part, and between the inner wall surface of the second accommodating hole and the side surface of the second part.

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