Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a housing including a first opening and a second opening. The first opening forms a suction connection with a transportable component. The apparatus includes a valve connected with the second opening a channel defined within the housing. The channel extends between the first opening and the second opening. The apparatus includes a vacuum maintaining mechanism disposed within the channel, and the vacuum maintaining mechanism holds a partial vacuum within the channel.

A holder, a transport device, and a method of manufacturing a container are described. The container comprises a body that extends along an axis and a flange that extends radially to the axis, and the holder comprises one or more fastening elements that are configured to engage one or more of a top surface, a bottom surface, or a peripheral surface of the flange.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a lamp manipulation tool (LMT) having a bellows engaged within a container and fluidly connected to a vacuum source disposed in the container, the vacuum source being configured to apply a suction such that the bellows is releasably coupled to a lamp when the lamp occludes an aperture of the bellows. In an illustrative example, the bellows may have a first aperture into the bellows and a second aperture within the bellows. The first aperture may, for example, be larger than the second aperture. The vacuum source may, for example, be operated by a remote switch. The container may, for example, be coupled to a handle. Various embodiments may advantageously provide a single LMT that allows a user to manipulate a variety of lamps beyond the user's normal reach.

The present disclosure relates to polishing tools and, more particularly, to hand polishing fixtures and methods of use. The structure includes: at least one hand grip which includes a shape accommodating a palm of an operator's hand; and a chuck having an interior space structured to fix a sample within the chuck and to extend below an underside surface of the at least one hand grip.

A method for treatment using a cutting arrangement includes providing a rotor blade of a wind turbine and attaching an alignment tool to the rotor blade. The alignment tool includes at least one fixation means for fixing the alignment tool to proximate a trailing edge of the rotor blade that is a structure attachable to a first surface and a second opposing surface of the rotor blade. The alignment tool further includes at least one guiding structure operably connected to the fixation means that is configured to embrace the leading edge of the rotor blade and includes at least one groove or at least one edge that provides guidance for a cutting edge of a cutting apparatus. The method includes treating the rotor blade using the cutting apparatus, in which the cutting edge of the cutting apparatus is guided by the at least one guiding structure of the alignment tool.

Embodiments described herein provide for devices and methods for retaining optical devices. The devices and methods described herein provide for retention of the substrate without contacting sensitive portions of the substrate. The devices and methods utilize retention pads or vacuum pins to contact the exclusion zones i.e., inactive areas of the substrate to retain the substrate and prevent the substrate from moving laterally. Additionally, a holding force retains the substrate in the vertical direction, without contacting the substrate. The methods provide for adjusting the devices to account for multiple geometries of the substrate. The methods further provide for adjusting the devices, such as adjusting a gap between the optical device and a suction pad, to alter the holding force of the devices on the optical devices.

A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

A gripping device (10) for sheet-shaped elements (L) comprising: at least one longitudinal bar (20) adjustable in length and provided with a plurality of suction gripping members (30) connected along a longitudinal axis (A) of the longitudinal bar (20).

The present application discloses an apparatus for mounting an O-ring to a work piece, which includes a body including a plurality of connecting holes for connecting a pressure source to the body; an annular groove formed on the body and adapted to receive the O-ring; and a plurality of air channels formed in the body, the plurality of air channels being in fluid communication with the annular groove and the plurality of connecting holes to provide negative pressure with the pressure source in the annular groove to suck the O-ring in the annular groove, the annular groove is coaxial with a groove formed on a surface of the work piece during the mounting so that the O-ring is dropped into the groove when the pressure source is disconnected from the body or provides positive pressure to the plurality of air channels.

The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for a vacuum tool having a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.