Vacuum Suction Gripper Pressure Check for Reliable Object Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum handling devices with individually monitored suction points are complex and expensive, and there is a need for a simpler design that ensures reliable and safe gripping of objects.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum handling device with a suction gripper featuring independently activatable suction points, a vacuum generating device, and a sensor system that maintains a consistent negative pressure in the suction flow path, allowing for reliable detection of malfunctions through pressure differentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each suction point is monitored with its own sensor, then malfunction detection is reliable, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple suction point monitoring functions are merged into a single sensor device. The sensor measures the aggregate suction force or pressure in the vacuum line, which reflects the combined status of all suction points. This eliminates the need for individual sensors at each suction point while maintaining reliable malfunction detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A single sensor device performs the universal function of monitoring all suction points simultaneously. Rather than having specialized sensors for each suction point, one multi-functional sensor captures the overall suction status, enabling cost-effective and simple malfunction detection across the entire suction gripper system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individually activated suction points are used, then gripping adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suction gripper is segmented into multiple independently controllable suction points, each capable of being activated or deactivated separately. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different object shapes and sizes by selecting only the necessary suction points, while the centralized control system manages the complexity of individual activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction gripper employs dynamic activation of suction points based on real-time sensing and control. The system can dynamically adjust which suction points are active during operation, enabling adaptability to various gripping scenarios while maintaining manageable system complexity through coordinated control.
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 solution enables reliable and safe gripping of objects with reduced complexity and cost by using a method that correlates suction point activation with negative pressure changes, facilitating efficient object handling and error detection.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum generating device (14) for supplying the suction gripper (12) with negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
In the active configuration, a suction flow is enabled through the suction point, allowing a gripping object resting against the suction point to be sucked in
Implementation Method 3
a sensor device (24) for measuring a negative pressure in the suction flow path (22)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for handling a gripping object (42) by means of a vacuum handling device (10), comprising a suction gripper (12) with a plurality of individually activatable suction points (20) and a vacuum generating device (14), the method comprising providing a reference vacuum value pUref, which represents a vacuum pUtest that is established upon activation of a number ntest of suction points during free suction without a gripping object in a suction flow path, wherein ntest is less than or equal to the difference between ngreif and nerf, wherein ngreif represents the number of suction points Sgreif by means of which the gripping object is to be suctioned for gripping, wherein nerf represents the minimum number of suction points required to securely hold the gripping object on the suction gripper (12), activating the suction points Sgreif and suctioning the gripping object, measuring a vacuum value pUist,which represents a negative pressure that occurs after the gripping object has been sucked onto the suction points Sgreif in the suction flow path and comparing the negative pressure value pUist with the reference negative pressure value pUref.,