Palletiser Gripper Inflatable Hold-Down for Irregular Packages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing palletizing grippers with rigid hold-down devices struggle to adapt to irregularly shaped objects, often causing damage due to uneven pressure distribution during handling.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating suddenly inflatable suction cups or tube elements with airtight suction cups on the clamping surface of the hold-down device, allowing for gentle and adaptive contact with objects, reducing the need for slow feed rates and enabling faster processing speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rigid hold-down device with convex counter surface is used, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but it cannot adapt to different contours of irregularly shaped objects and causes heavy surface pressures leading to object damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid hold-down device with a flexible membrane that can suddenly inflate to adapt to irregular contours of objects. The membrane's flexibility allows it to conform to various shapes while distributing pressure evenly, eliminating the damage caused by rigid surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the hold-down device from rigid to flexible by using a suddenly inflatable membrane. This parameter change allows the device to transition from a fixed shape to an adaptive form that matches the object's contour, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a rigid hold-down device is moved slowly against the stack surface, then gentle contact is achieved, but processing speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a suddenly inflatable membrane driven by pneumatic pressure to achieve gentle contact with the object surface. The membrane inflates rapidly to match the contour without requiring slow mechanical movement, thus maintaining both gentleness and high processing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static rigid hold-down device into a dynamic suddenly inflatable membrane. This dynamic element can rapidly adapt to the object's surface through sudden inflation, eliminating the need for slow feed rates while ensuring gentle contact and preventing surface damage.
3Reliability
If the hold-down device is moved completely against the stack surface at slow feed rate, then reliable contact is achieved, but clamping time increases and processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the hold-down device close to the object before sudden inflation occurs. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the membrane inflates, it immediately makes reliable contact with the object surface, achieving both reliable contact and fast clamping action.
Solution Approach 2:
The suddenly inflatable membrane uses pneumatic pressure to achieve rapid expansion and reliable contact with the object. This pneumatic mechanism eliminates the time-consuming slow feed rate movement while ensuring the membrane fully conforms to the object's surface for reliable clamping.
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 ensures reliable holding of irregular surfaces with reduced risk of damage, allowing for higher processing speeds and versatility across different palletizing gripper types.
Implementation Method 1
designed as a cushion element and can be suddenly filled with air and thus holds or clamps the product with its clamping surface
Implementation Method 2
suction cups or suction cups are arranged in an airtight manner on the clamping surface of the cushion element
Data Source
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AI summary
The gripper has two carrier elements, which are arranged at a distance from one another and are aligned essentially horizontal and parallel manner. A hose element (7) is arranged at a lower side of a holding down clamp (6), which is movable in a direction of a goods package e.g. box, surface, where the hose element is suddenly fillable with air. Two plates (2) are connected with one another and extended rearwards in the form of guidance plates (14). Side parts (35) extend downwards from the plates (2), with which lateral bars (18) are reinforced.