A handling device for a handling of products (14), in particular food products, which are conveyed by means of a transport device (12), has at least one handling unit (16) comprising a plurality of movably supported movement carriages (18), in particular movers, and a plurality of, in particular movably supported, handling elements (20), in particular vacuum grippers, wherein on each movement carriage (18) respectively at least one handling element (20) is arranged, and has at least one carrier structure (22), which in particular extends at least partially transversally over the transport device (12) and has at least one carrier element (24) on which the movement carriages (18) are supported in such a way that they are drivable, independently from each other in terms of speed and/or position, at least along a direction (28) running at least substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis (26) of the carrier element (24), the handling elements (20) being supported on the movement carriages (18) so as to be movable, in particular individually movable, the handling elements (20) in each case having a movement axis (30, 32) that extends transversally to the longitudinal axis (26) of the carrier element (24), and/or the carrier structure (22) comprising at least one bearing unit (34), in particular a rotary bearing unit and/or a linear bearing unit, by means of which the carrier element (24), in particular together with the movement carriages (18) arranged thereon, is supported so as to be vertically movable, wherein for a movement of the handling elements (20) relative to the movement carriages (18), the movement axes (30) of the handling elements (20) in each case run at least substantially parallel to a product support surface (60) of the transport device (12), wherein the handling device further comprises at least one electromagnetic drive unit (68) for an individual movement of the movement carriages (18) relative to the carrier element (24), the electromagnetic drive unit (68) being realized as a linear motor system, wherein the handling unit (16) comprises fluidic drives (42), in particular hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or electromagnetic drives, in particular electromagnetic drives assigned to a further linear motor system of the handling device, for a translational movement of the handling elements (20) along the respective movement axis (30) of the handling elements (20).

A robotically-operated gripping device is provided and includes a frame assembly, a vacuum device, a clamping device, and a robotic arm. The vacuum device is connected to the frame assembly and configured to selectively attach to and position at least a portion of an object. The clamping device is connected to the frame assembly and provided for selectively clamping the object attached to the vacuum device. The robotic arm is connected to the frame assembly and provided for selectively positioning the vacuum device and the gripping device.

An end effector is disclosed. The end effector includes a first grasping mechanism for grasping at least one first object when the robotic end effector is operated in a first mode and a second grasping mechanism for grasping a second object when the robotic end effector is operated in a second mode. The second grasping mechanism is robotically positioned in an inactive state when the robotic end effector is controlled to operate in the first mode.

Object manipulation in warehouses and logistics facilities is a challenging task because of the unstructured environment. The unstructured environment can have items/objects with different form factors, weight, shape, and size. Traditionally, multiple robots have been used to handle for specific task to be performed by an individual robot which requires high floor. This leads to higher cost and infrastructure. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gripper apparatus that addresses a single gripper design handling multiple parcels, wherein the apparatus consists of ‘m’ fingers parallel to each other and can be independently controlled through actuators, each finger has a force sensors feedback and also actuators which are controlled with force. Each finger comprises a linear slider for actuation for gripping objects and wherein bottom fingers are moved to provide enough gravity support. Further, apparatus comprises bellows attached to each finger end for grasping object using pneumatic grasping mechanism.

A method moves a stack of products by a robot. The robot has an articulated arm and at least one gripper disposed on the articulated arm to grip the stack of printed products and the stack of products selectively being turned. The method includes pivoting the stack of products through an effective angle α1< >180° and subsequently pivoting the stack through an effective angle α2=180°−α1 or pivoting the stack back through an effective angle α2=−α1. This method of moving stacks of products is performed in an automated way and in particular of depositing them in a turned or unturned arrangement.

A gripping device for a part stacking system that according to one embodiment includes a plurality of supporting arms and a plurality of gripping elements attached to the supporting arms, at least some of said gripping elements being movable with respect to the respective supporting arm. Each supporting arm comprises at least one guiderail and each movable gripping element comprises a carriage movable in the corresponding guiderail. The static friction force between each carriage and the respective guiderail is such that the movable gripping elements are kept immobile with respect to the supporting arms by means of said static friction force during the part stacking process, and said movable gripping elements are positioned with respect to the respective supporting arm overcoming said static friction force.

A gripper device and method is provided. The method includes capturing, using an electronic device, information of an object that is indicative of holding position; determining, using the information, by a hardware processor, an optimal holding orientation and an optimal movement of at least one of (i) a plurality of fingers, or (ii) a plurality of suction cups of a gripper device; identifying the at least one of (i) the plurality of fingers, and (ii) the plurality of suction cups as one or more grasping components based on the information, the optimal holding orientation and the optimal movement; and enabling, using an actuator, the one or more identified grasping components to grasp the object based on the information, the optimal holding orientation and the optimal movement.

The invention relates to grasping system comprising a grasping head (15) for a sheet transporting device, in particular for transporting an insert sheet to be inserted between rows of folding boxes in a receptacle, the grasping head (15) having at least one support frame (80) and a plurality of aspiration elements (17, 18). The aspiration elements (17, 18) are mounted on holding elements (50) which are received on the support frame (80) so as to be displaceable with respect to the support frame (80).

The invention provides a controllable gripper for a robot. A plurality of gripping members, e.g. suction cups, are arranged to engage with a surface of an object to be gripped. The gripping members are arranged in a controllable gripping configuration. A base part is arranged to be moved by a robotic actuator, e.g. a gantry type of robotic actuator. Two or more arms connected to the base part are slidably arranged along their lengths relative to the base part. Each arm has a gripping member at or near its distal end. A controllable actuator system is arranged to control position of the arms in different directions, relative to the base part, thus allowing various gripping configurations to be formed with respect to at least size. Especially, four arms of fixed length, each with a suction cup, may be actuated by one or two electric motors, so a to allow the four suction cups to form various gripping quadrangle sizes. This allows the gripper to be capable of gripping small and large objects in random order, since the gripping configuration can be rapidly changed. Still, the gripper can be formed rather simple with few elements, and yet it is flexible and can be very compact in a compressed state of the arms to allow navigation into narrow spaces, e.g. to grip an object in a 3D bulk of objects. The gripper is preferably mounted to a robotic actuator by means of a controllable rotation and tilting arrangement.

There is provided a scalable area gripper that includes a structural frame and variable vacuum zones coupled to the structural frame. Each variable vacuum zone includes (i) vacuum ports, (ii) one or more movable barrier elements, and (iii) an actuator assembly to move each of the one or more movable barrier elements across one or more of the vacuum port(s), to cause the one or more vacuum port(s) to go between a closed state and an open state. One or more of the variable vacuum zone(s) is configured to be adjusted to each provide an adjusted vacuum zone that corresponds to a corresponding identified section of a material having a start portion and an end portion. Each adjusted vacuum zone is configured to be positioned adjacent to its corresponding identified section of the material, and is configured to be activated to pick up the material during a material handling process.