Overlapped Dual-Hardness Suction Cup Lip for Crack-Resistant Gripping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing suction cups with polymeric materials of different hardnesses are prone to crack formation, reducing service life and leading to faulty gripping due to tensile forces at the interface, necessitating complete replacement.

Innovation Solution

A suction cup design with a lip featuring an outer rim portion of lower hardness overlapping and bonded to an inner central portion, using injection moulding to enhance bonding and distribute shearing forces, avoiding tensile stresses at the interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If two different polymeric materials are used for the lip and remaining suction cup, then flexibility and sealing properties are improved, but crack formation occurs at the interface due to tensile forces

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidcrack formation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating an overlap region where the lip portion and bellows portion extend over each other, allowing different polymeric materials to be bonded in a localized area. This overlap design concentrates the bonding interface in a specific region rather than along the entire interface, reducing stress distribution and preventing crack formation while maintaining flexibility in the sealing lip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by combining two different polymeric materials with distinct properties - a softer material for the lip portion to enhance sealing flexibility and a harder material for the bellows portion for structural stability. The overlap region bonds these composite materials together, allowing each material to perform its optimal function while maintaining overall reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If a harder polymeric material is used for the entire suction cup, then structural stability is improved, but sealing flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidsealing flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different material hardness levels to different regions: the bellows portion uses a harder polymeric material for structural stability, while the lip portion uses a softer polymeric material for sealing flexibility. The overlap region bonds these two regions together, allowing each region to exhibit its optimal mechanical properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the suction cup into two functional portions with different material properties - the bellows portion for structural support and the lip portion for sealing. This segmentation allows independent optimization of material selection for each portion, achieving both structural stability and sealing flexibility simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If a softer polymeric material is used for the entire suction cup, then sealing flexibility is improved, but structural stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing flexibilityVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If the lip is made from a single polymeric material, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but differentiated material properties for sealing and structure are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddifferentiated material properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4653371A1Suction cup comprising a lip having in a rim portion a polymeric material of reduced hardness

Publication Date: 2025.11.26 PIAB

Figure 1~1A
Figure 2~2A
Figure 2B~3

AI summary

A suction cup (10) for automated gripping operations, such as for lifting of objects, is disclosed, wherein a rim portion (30) of a lip (20) of the suction cup (10) is made of a first polymeric material having a first lower hardness as compared to a second hardness of a second polymeric material of an inner, central portion (40) of the lip (20). The first and second polymeric materials of the lip (20) of the suction cup (10) disclosed are bonded to each other with an overlap (50). The bonding can be accomplished by injection moulding of the suction cup.