Suction Gripper Self-Holding Mechanism for Power Failure Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suction grippers rely on compressed air to maintain the active configuration, which fails during power outages, causing objects to fall off.
Innovation Solution
A suction gripper design that uses a piston and vacuum chambers to create a self-holding mechanism, maintaining the active configuration without additional actuators, ensuring reliable operation even in power outages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If compressed air is supplied to maintain the active configuration, then the suction unit can be kept in the extended position, but the system fails during power outages and objects may fall off
Solution Approach 1:
The suction unit is designed to hold the object reliably using its own suction force. The vacuum generated by the suction unit creates a pressure difference that automatically maintains the extended configuration without requiring external compressed air supply, enabling the system to serve itself and remain reliable during power outages.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using compressed air (positive pressure) to maintain the extended configuration, the invention uses vacuum suction (negative pressure) to achieve the same effect. This inversion of the pressure approach allows the suction unit to inherently maintain its active configuration through the suction force it generates, eliminating the need for continuous energy input.
2Reliability
If the suction unit is extended to the active configuration, then gripping capability is improved, but the passive configuration becomes obstructing when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The suction unit is designed to be dynamically adjustable between retracted and extended configurations. When vacuum is applied, the suction unit automatically extends to the active configuration for gripping. When vacuum is released, it automatically retracts to the passive configuration, eliminating obstruction. This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt its state based on operational needs without requiring complex control mechanisms.
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
Enables reliable and energy-efficient operation by using vacuum chambers to maintain the active configuration, eliminating the need for continuous compressed air supply.
Implementation Method 1
The vacuum chambers are designed and dimensioned such that a vacuum applied to the vacuum chambers exerts a force on the piston in the extension direction
Implementation Method 2
The suction body is designed to adhere to an object to be gripped
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a suction gripper (10) comprising a gripper base body (12) with a housing (26) which has a vacuum connection (50), and a suction unit (14) comprising a reciprocating piston (16) and a suction body (18) coupled to the reciprocating piston, wherein the suction unit is adjustable relative to the gripper base body in an extension direction and a retraction direction (24), wherein the housing has an interior (28), wherein the reciprocating piston divides the interior into a first vacuum chamber (34) and a second vacuum chamber (36), wherein the reciprocating piston has an internal vacuum guide (54) through which the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber are fluidically connected, wherein the reciprocating piston and the two vacuum chambers are designed such that by applying vacuum to the two vacuum chambers, a force acts on the reciprocating piston in the extension direction.The invention also relates to a gripping module with a plurality of suction grippers and a suction gripping device with a plurality of gripping modules.