Gripping Head with Segmented Suction and Fall Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing apparatuses for handling layers of palletized products face difficulties in maintaining a secure grip under all conditions, leading to potential product damage and machine stoppages, especially when dealing with imperfectly arranged or permeable layers, which can result in reduced productivity and quality concerns.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus incorporates a gripping head with a horizontal suction plane and flexible curtain elements for secure gripping, along with a fall-prevention plane that adjusts to prevent product fall during transfer, ensuring reliable and safe handling of palletized products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a suction plane is used to grip layers of palletized products, then the gripping force is sufficient for uniformly distributed and impermeable layers, but the gripping force becomes insufficient for incompletely distributed or permeable layers, causing loss of grip

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrip reliabilityVSAvoidadaptability to different layer configurations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The suction plane is divided into multiple independent suction chambers, each capable of generating vacuum force. This segmentation allows the gripping system to adapt to irregular product distributions by activating only the chambers that contact products, maintaining reliable grip even when layers are incompletely distributed or permeable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The suction chambers are designed to dynamically adapt their configuration based on the layer configuration. The system can adjust which chambers are active and modify their suction force according to the detected product distribution, enabling reliable gripping across varying layer densities and permeability characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If vacuum suction is used to lift layers, then gripping is effective for impermeable layers, but air passage through permeable layers reduces gripping force and causes product damage or machine stoppages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrip stabilityVSAvoidproduct damage from grip loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the suction plane into multiple independent chambers, the system isolates air leakage to specific chambers rather than affecting the entire gripping surface. This allows the system to maintain stable grip on non-permeable products while compensating for air passage through permeable layers in other chambers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts vacuum parameters (suction force, chamber activation) based on detected layer permeability and distribution. This parameter adaptation maintains adequate gripping force for permeable layers while preventing excessive force that could damage products, thereby eliminating grip loss and associated damage or stoppages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If conventional suction planes are used without fall prevention, then the structure is simple, but products may fall during transfer causing damage and productivity reduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegripping system simplicityVSAvoidproduct security during transfer

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fall prevention mechanism is implemented as separate, movable plane elements that can be independently deployed beneath the suction plane. This segmented approach adds minimal complexity while providing comprehensive product protection during transfer operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fall-prevention planes are positioned in advance beneath the suction plane and activated before product release. This preliminary positioning ensures products are securely supported throughout the transfer process, preventing falls and associated damage while maintaining system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This solution enables the safe and efficient picking up, transfer, and depositing of palletized products, reducing the risk of damage and machine stoppages, thereby enhancing productivity and reliability while maintaining product integrity.

Implementation Method 1

through the vacuum force generated by the source of vacuum, grip the layer to raise it with respect to the rest of the palletized load

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS10138079B2Appliance for handling layers of palletized products

Publication Date: 2018.11.27 E80 GRP SPA

AI summary

The apparatus for handling layers of palletized products includes a gripping head associable to a transfer machine adapted to displace the gripping head at least along a substantially vertical direction, the gripping head being provided with:a support framework associable to the transfer machine,a substantially horizontal suction plane associated to the support framework and adapted to suction a layer (S) of palletized products (P), anda fall-prevention plane associated to the support framework and mobile between a rest configuration, wherein the space underlying the suction plane is clear and the suction plane is free to be arranged at contact with the upper surface of the layer (S) of products (P), and an operating configuration wherein the fall-prevention plane is arranged below the suction plane and the layer (S) of suctioned products (P).