Grip Assembly With Pivoted Arms For Panel Handling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing grip assembly solutions for panels, such as those using gantry crane structures with suckers, face limitations in versatility and rapidity when handling panels of different dimensions or those stacked against a wall, leading to inefficiencies and safety risks, especially when trying to load low-height or narrow panels.

Innovation Solution

A grip assembly with a carriage and central beam, featuring pivoted arms with suckers that can rotate and adjust to various angles and positions, allowing for flexible gripping and movement paths, including the ability to pick up panels near walls without interference, ensuring barycentric positioning and handling of panels of varying sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If suckers are mounted on parallel vertical arms, then the grip assembly can maintain stable positioning, but it causes loss of time when moving the device in the magazine to reach panels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestable positioningVSAvoidmovement time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the sucker mounting structure movable rather than fixed. The suckers are mounted on arms that can rotate about a horizontal axis, allowing the mounting configuration to adapt dynamically. This enables the grip assembly to reach panels stored against walls by rotating the arms, eliminating the time loss associated with moving the entire device while maintaining stable positioning when gripping panels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If suckers are aligned in a single horizontal row on a rotating beam, then movement rapidity is improved, but versatility is reduced when handling panels of different dimensions or stored against walls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemovement rapidityVSAvoidhandling capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the sucker mounting structure into multiple independent segments or arms. Instead of a single rotating beam with suckers in one row, the structure comprises multiple arms that can rotate independently about horizontal axes. This segmentation allows each arm to be positioned optimally for different panel configurations, maintaining both rapid movement capability and versatility for handling panels of various dimensions and storage positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by enabling the arms to rotate about horizontal axes, making the sucker positions adjustable rather than fixed. This dynamic capability allows the grip assembly to adapt to panels stored against walls or of different dimensions while maintaining the rapid movement benefits of the rotated configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the grip assembly uses a fixed configuration, then device complexity is reduced, but it cannot handle panels of different dimensions or positions effectively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidpanel handling capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by introducing rotational movement capability to the arms that mount the suckers. The arms can rotate about horizontal axes, allowing the grip assembly to adapt to panels of different dimensions and storage positions. This dynamic feature provides versatility without requiring multiple separate devices, maintaining reasonable structural simplicity while achieving adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution enables rapid, versatile, and safe loading of panels of all formats and positions, including small-format panels near walls, without interference with magazine stands, providing optimal loading and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

a grip assembly for gripping panels (L) that comprises a carriage (2) designed to move along a crossmember (3) of a gantry crane structure (4), a central beam (5) connected to said carriage (2) and supporting at least one device for gripping (15), the assembly further comprising a first arm (6) and a second arm (7), each of which is provided with at least one device for gripping (16, 17)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3421395B1Grip assembly for panels, device for gripping and moving panels and magazine for panel-shaped products provided with such grip assembly
Publication Date: 2021.11.03 MACOTEC
  • EP3421395B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3421395B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3421395B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

A grip assembly (1, 1A) for panels (L), comprising: - a carriage (2) designed to move along a crossmember (3) of a gantry crane structure (4), - a central beam (5) connected to the carriage (2) and supporting at least one device for gripping (15), the assembly (1, 1A) comprising a first arm (6) and a second arm (7) each of which is provided with at least one device for gripping (16, 17), the first arm (6) and the second arm (7) being connected to opposite ends of the central beam (5) and being substantially coplanar with it, the first arm (6) and the second arm (7) being pivoted to the central beam (5) so that they can rotate about respective first rotation axes (X6, X7) which are mutually parallel and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of extension of the beam (5).