Robot Handling of Product Stacks with Pivoting and Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for handling stacks of printed and folded products, such as those made of paper, board, or metal, in the graphic industry are inefficient and strain workers due to manual handling, and automated solutions like articulated robots are limited in their ability to pivot and deposit stacks in various orientations.

Innovation Solution

A method using a robot with an articulated arm and a gripper to pivot stacks of products through specific effective angles, allowing for selective turning and deposition in either turned or unturned arrangements, with the option to introduce intermediate steps like vibrating or straightening the edges, and to perform these actions at different positions or using different devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual handling of stacks of products is used, then workers can handle stacks flexibly, but physical strain increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling flexibilityVSAvoidhandling speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated self-service handling where the robot gripper independently performs gripping, pivoting, and depositing operations without human intervention, thereby eliminating physical strain while maintaining operational flexibility through programmable control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If automated robot handling is used, then productivity increases, but the ability to pivot and deposit stacks in various orientations is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling speedVSAvoiddeposit orientation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The robot gripper is designed with dynamic pivoting capability that allows it to rotate and deposit stacks at multiple orientations (e.g., 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) during the handling process, enabling the system to adapt to different deposit schemes while maintaining high automated handling speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If single-step pivoting is used, then the process is simple, but intermediate steps like vibrating or straightening cannot be introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepivoting process simplicityVSAvoidintermediate processing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The pivoting process is segmented into multiple discrete steps (first pivoting step and second pivoting step) with intermediate positions where additional operations such as vibrating or straightening can be performed, allowing the system to maintain relative simplicity while gaining processing versatility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12344495B2Method of moving a stack of products by use of a robot

Publication Date: 2025.07.01 HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG

AI summary

A method for moving a stack of products by a robot. The robot has an articulated arm and at least one gripper disposed on the articulated arm for gripping the stack of products. The stack of products is turned, before being moved by the robot, with a pivoting device that is separate from the robot. The stack of products is turned about a horizontal axis and the stack of products, while out of the horizontal orientation, is aligned and/or straightened in one direction and/or straightened in two mutually orthogonal directions and/or vibrated and/or aerated and/or modified from a fanned-out stack of products to become an unfanned stack of products. The robot then takes the stack from the pivoting device and subsequently moves the stack.