Vacuum Gripper Beam Accessory for Slab Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy and large slabs of granite or marble are difficult to handle and move due to their weight and fragility, and existing methods lack efficient solutions for secure and precise placement.
Innovation Solution
A slab handling system comprising vacuum grippers and a beam securing them, along with accessories that include a passageway, slots, and spring-biased pins for securing beams, allowing for secure vacuum grip and precise adjustment of slabs during handling and placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional manual handling methods are used for heavy slabs, then human effort and simple equipment are required, but the slabs are difficult to move and pose safety risks due to their weight and fragility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vacuum grippers that utilize pneumatic principles to create strong holding forces on the slab surfaces. The vacuum grippers generate negative pressure to securely grasp the slabs, enabling easy lifting and movement despite their heavy weight, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and the weight of the moving object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional manual mechanical handling with an automated system combining vacuum grippers, beams, and accessories. This substitution eliminates the need for direct human effort in handling heavy slabs, improving ease of operation while managing the weight challenge through engineered mechanical systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If heavy slabs are moved using simple equipment, then equipment complexity is low, but the slabs are difficult to control and place precisely
Solution Approach 1:
The handling system is divided into modular components: vacuum grippers for secure attachment, beams for structural support and movement, and accessories for precise positioning and alignment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively, achieving precise placement while managing overall system complexity through modularity.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam acts as an intermediary component between the vacuum grippers and the slab. It provides a stable platform for movement and positioning, enabling precise control during transport and placement. The accessories serve as intermediaries for fine-tuning alignment and achieving precise final positioning of the slabs.
3Reliability
If vacuum grippers are used to hold slabs, then secure grip is achieved, but the system becomes more complex requiring beams and accessories for coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components. The vacuum grippers are mounted on beams, which themselves are part of a coordinated system with accessories. This merging of functions (holding, supporting, positioning) into a unified system achieves reliable secure grip while managing complexity through functional integration rather than separate independent components.
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 safe and precise handling, lifting, and placement of heavy slabs, reinforcing them during movement and allowing for precise alignment and adjustment, reducing the risk of damage and improving handling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The first vacuum gripper and the second vacuum gripper may be secured to a slab via a vacuum force.
Data Source
AI summary
A slab handling system provides an accessory that can be configured to secure vacuum grippers to a beam. The accessory includes a body having a passageway therethrough for receiving the beam. The body further including slots on either side of the passageway that are configured to receive connectors of a vacuum gripper. In one embodiment the accessory can also be configured as a height-adjusting device. In one embodiment the accessory can also be configured as a traction device. The height-adjusting device and the traction device may be used in conjunction with the accessory and vacuum grippers to facilitate handling of one or more slabs.