Deployable Vacuum Suction Cup for Sensorless Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional suction cups require precise sensing and control to grip objects, which is costly and ineffective in unstructured environments with errors in object position and angle sensing, especially for transparent or highly reflective objects.
Innovation Solution
A longitudinally deployable vacuum suction cup with a gripper body made of a flexible polymer compound that extends and contracts to grip objects without separate sensing and control, using a pneumatic circuit to deploy and contract based on vacuum pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vision sensing technology is used to detect and grasp objects, then object position and angle can be detected, but sensing and control costs become high
Solution Approach 1:
The suction cup body performs self-adjustment through its elastic properties, automatically adapting to object positions and angles without external sensing or control systems. The body expands and contracts autonomously based on contact forces, eliminating the need for expensive vision sensing and control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electronic vision sensing and control system with a purely mechanical solution. The elastic body's physical properties enable it to sense and respond to object contact through mechanical deformation, substituting complex electronic sensing with simple mechanical compliance.
2Strength
If a rigid vacuum cylinder body is used, then structural strength is maintained, but the ability to grip tilted objects is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The suction cup body is constructed from an elastic material that can flex and deform to accommodate tilted objects. This flexible body maintains the necessary structural strength while adapting its shape to contact surfaces at various angles, enabling gripping of objects that would be impossible for a rigid body.
Solution Approach 2:
The body transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic elastic structure that can change its shape and configuration in response to contact forces. This dynamic adaptability allows the suction cup to grip objects at different orientations by deforming to match the contact surface geometry.
3Length of moving object
If the body length is increased to grip distant objects, then gripping range is extended, but collision risk with surrounding objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The body dynamically adjusts its effective length based on the task requirements. When gripping distant objects, the body extends; when proximity is needed, it contracts. This dynamic length adjustment eliminates the need for a permanently long body, reducing collision risk with surrounding objects in the workspace.
Solution Approach 2:
The body can be segmented into deployable and retractable portions, allowing it to extend only when needed for gripping and retract when not in use. This segmented approach enables the system to achieve long gripping range only when necessary, minimizing the risk of collision with surrounding objects during transport and operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The suction cup can grip objects at various distances and angles without precise sensing, reducing costs and enhancing applicability in unstructured environments, such as logistics, by eliminating the need for precise position measurement and adapting to dynamic situations.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump that generates a vacuum; a plurality of air hoses connected to the vacuum pump through which air is transported
Implementation Method 2
an outer spring located between the gripper body and the internal air hose
Implementation Method 3
a suction cup coupled to the other end of the gripper body and connected to the internal air hose for gripping an object
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in the present invention is a longitudinally deployable vacuum suction cup. A longitudinally deployable vacuum suction cup, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a vacuum pump that generates a vacuum; a plurality of air hoses connected to the vacuum pump through which air moves; a gripper body having one end connected to the plurality of air hoses so as to be deployed; an internal air hose located inside the gripper body through which air moves; an outer spring located between the gripper body and the internal air hose; a suction cup coupled to the other end of the gripper body and connected to the internal air hose to grip an object; and a three-way valve connecting the internal air hose and the vacuum pump.