Pivoting Support Bar Gripper Head for Flexible Piece Goods Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grippers face challenges in adapting to different manipulation tasks quickly, leading to increased changeover times and limited flexibility in handling various types of piece goods, such as beverage containers.
Innovation Solution
The gripper head design incorporates a first and second gripper bar that can perform a feed movement, along with a support bar that can be pivoted between a waiting and working position, allowing for flexible handling of both multiple adjacent piece goods and individual items.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a gripper is equipped with separating or supporting plates for different manipulation tasks, then the gripper can handle various piece goods configurations, but the device complexity increases and changeover time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support bar is designed to be movable between a working position (where it supports adjacent piece goods) and a retracted position (where it is removed from the clamping area). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the gripper to adapt to different piece goods configurations without requiring multiple fixed gripper heads, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper is divided into functional modules: gripper bars for clamping, support bar for supporting adjacent piece goods, and actuator for positioning. This segmentation allows independent control of each function and enables flexible reconfiguration for different tasks without redesigning the entire gripper system
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gripper heads are used to handle different piece goods configurations, then all manipulation tasks can be fulfilled, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single gripper head is designed to perform multiple functions through the movable support bar mechanism. The same gripper can handle both adjacent piece goods (with support bar extended) and individual piece goods (with support bar retracted), eliminating the need for multiple specialized gripper heads while maintaining full manipulation task coverage
3Reliability
If the support bar is always positioned for supporting adjacent piece goods, then adjacent piece goods can be securely clamped, but individual piece goods cannot be properly gripped
Solution Approach 1:
The support bar's position is dynamically adjusted based on the piece goods configuration being handled. For adjacent piece goods, the support bar extends to provide reliable support. For individual piece goods, the support bar retracts to avoid interference with the clamping action, ensuring proper gripping in both scenarios
Data Source
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AI summary
A gripper head (1) for gripping piece goods (3) is disclosed. The gripper head (1) comprises a first gripper bar (7) and a second gripper bar (8), which can execute a feed movement for clamping the receipt of at least one piece goods (3) and are fastened to a gripper base (5) of the gripper head (1). The gripper head (1) further comprises at least one support bar (9) for piece goods (1), which is located between the first gripper bar (7) and the second gripper bar (8) and is held on the gripper base (5). It is provided that the gripper head (1) comprises at least one joint (12), via which the at least one support bar (9) can be pivoted at least partially in the direction of the gripper base (5).