Portable Vacuum Gripper Seal for Irregular Surface Lifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum grippers face challenges in effectively gripping and lifting objects with irregular surfaces, such as rough surfaces, step surfaces, grooves, or bumps, due to the need for a precise seal and the risk of vacuum loss during transportation.
Innovation Solution
A portable vacuum gripper with a deformable vacuum seal and a press rod system that allows for conforming to irregular surfaces, along with safeguard components like a battery recharging mechanism and a manual vacuum pump to maintain vacuum suction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid vacuum seal is used, then the seal can maintain its shape and structure, but it cannot conform to irregular surfaces such as rough surfaces, step surfaces, grooves, or bumps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible vacuum seal comprising an elastomeric material that can deform and conform to irregular surfaces while maintaining structural integrity. The flexible seal includes a peripheral sealing portion that can adapt to surface variations, resolving the contradiction between conformability and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum seal is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to deform under vacuum pressure and adapt to the object surface. The seal can dynamically adjust its shape to maintain contact with irregular surfaces while retaining its fundamental structure, enabling both adaptability and stability.
2Extent of automation
If a battery-operated vacuum pump is used, then the vacuum gripper can operate autonomously, but the battery may malfunction or run out of power during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a manual vacuum pump as a backup mechanism before the battery-operated pump fails. This manual pump serves as a cushioning measure to maintain vacuum levels if the automated system malfunctions or depletes its power source, ensuring continuous operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual vacuum pump acts as an intermediary between the automated vacuum system and complete system failure. It provides a transitional solution to maintain vacuum levels when the battery-operated pump cannot sustain operation, bridging the gap between automated failure and total system collapse.
3Reliability
If the vacuum pump operates continuously to maintain vacuum level, then the vacuum suction is maintained, but the battery energy is depleted quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The controller manages the vacuum pump operation in periodic cycles rather than continuous operation. The pump operates intermittently to maintain vacuum levels, switching on when vacuum drops below a threshold and switching off when the threshold is reached, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable vacuum suction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a feedback mechanism where the controller monitors vacuum levels and adjusts pump operation accordingly. When vacuum levels are sufficient, the pump remains off; when levels drop, the pump activates to restore vacuum. This feedback-controlled operation maintains vacuum reliability while minimizing battery energy consumption.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a deformable vacuum seal is used to conform to irregular surfaces, then the seal can adapt to rough surfaces and grooves, but the seal may lose vacuum due to gaps formed on step surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum seal is designed with different regions having different properties. The peripheral sealing portion is highly deformable to conform to irregularities, while the central gripping portion maintains structural integrity to prevent gap formation on step surfaces. This local differentiation allows the seal to adapt to surfaces while maintaining vacuum retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum seal employs composite construction with multiple materials or layers, combining highly elastic deformable material for surface conformity with less compressible material for maintaining structural stability. This composite structure enables the seal to adapt to irregular surfaces while preventing vacuum loss through gap formation.
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
The portable vacuum gripper effectively grips and lifts objects with irregular surfaces by maintaining a consistent vacuum level, ensuring safe transportation through power conservation and backup systems, and adapting to surface irregularities.
Implementation Method 1
Suction devices, such as vacuum grippers, can be used to grip for lifting flat objects using vacuum. The suction devices can include suction cups in which a partial vacuum, e.g., an air pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, is produced to adhere the suction devices to the flat objects.
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum gripper for gripping an object surface using vacuum suction is configured to be portable or operated by a hoist. Battery conservation measures are included to provide a long term vacuum generation capability, together with manually rechargeable mechanism. A manually-operated vacuum pump is also integrated to the vacuum gripper as a safeguard for the battery-operated vacuum pump failure. The vacuum gripper includes an elastic deformable vacuum seal for gripping objects with irregular surfaces, together with press rods or pin array configured to assist the vacuum seal in filling any gaps between the vacuum seal and the object surface.