Tilting Suction Gripper for Singulating Central Panels From Stacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial robot grippers face challenges in efficiently removing plate-shaped workpieces from chaotic stacks due to adhesion effects, requiring a method that can selectively target central plates without first removing edge sections, which complicates the removal order and increases the risk of adjacent plates being lifted.
Innovation Solution
A robot gripper with a suction unit that can tilt relative to the receptacle, equipped with a spring-loaded actuator for discrete strokes, allowing for precise engagement and removal of central plates by creating a wedge-shaped gap, minimizing the risk of adjacent plates being pulled along, and featuring multiple suction units for handling various dimensions and orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a suction gripper is used to pick up sheets from a chaotic stack, then the sheets can be held by negative pressure, but adhesion effects cause the sheet below to be lifted along with the sheet being picked up
Solution Approach 1:
The suction unit is tilted relative to the horizontal by an angle between 5 and 30 degrees, changing the orientation from the conventional horizontal position. This angular adjustment creates a wedge-shaped gap between the suction unit and the workpiece stack, allowing the suction force to act selectively on the target sheet without lifting adjacent sheets below, thereby resolving the adhesion problem while maintaining reliable sheet singulation
2Ease of operation
If plates at the edge of the chaotic stack are removed first to enable inner plate removal, then space is created for sliding, but the removal sequence is predetermined and not optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The suction unit's tilt angle is dynamically adjusted based on the position of the target plate within the stack. By varying the angle, the system can selectively access and remove plates from different positions (edge or center) without following a fixed predetermined sequence, optimizing the removal process for maximum productivity while maintaining ease of operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If the suction unit is tilted to create a wedge-shaped gap for precise engagement, then central plates can be removed without edge section removal, but the gripper structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tilted suction unit design serves multiple functions: it creates the wedge-shaped gap for accessing central plates, maintains selective suction capability, and can be adjusted to handle plates at various positions within the stack. This single structural modification provides universal access to all plate positions without requiring multiple specialized gripper configurations, thereby achieving high adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity
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 efficient and precise removal of plate-shaped workpieces from chaotic stacks by allowing central plates to be removed without prior edge section removal, reducing the risk of adjacent plates being lifted and accommodating different dimensions and orientations, thus improving the efficiency and flexibility of the process.
Implementation Method 1
at least one suction unit (20) designed to be connected to a vacuum source. The suction unit (20) has a suction surface (21) against which a preferably plate-shaped workpiece (220),
Implementation Method 2
the actuator (30) is pre-tensioned into a first zero position by a spring element, and the actuator (30) is designed to execute a discrete stroke opposite to the pre-tension when pressurized
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
The invention relates to a robot gripper with a receiving area, which is designed to be connected to an industrial robot, and at least one suction unit, which is designed to be connected to a vacuum source. The suction unit has a suction surface on which a preferably panel-shaped workpiece that preferably consists at least partly of wood, wood materials, plastic, aluminum, or the like can be held using negative pressure. The suction unit has a substantially straight pressing edge in an edge section. The robot gripper additionally has an actuator which is designed to tilt the suction unit about a first tilt axis relative to the receiving area.