The invention relates to an operating device for a tube lifter having a lifting tube that has a tube interior and can be shortened by applying a vacuum to the tube interior, and having a suction grip device arranged on one end of the tube lifter, which suction grip device can be supplied with a vacuum through the tube interior, the operating device having a suction port for fluid communication with the suction grip device, a lifting tube port for fluid communication with the tube interior of the lifting tube, and valve means for controlling the fluid communications, the valve means including a control valve which is adjustable between a closed position and an open position, in the open position a flow path from the surroundings to the lifting tube port being open, and in the closed position said flow path being substantially closed, and a control mechanism comprising a manually actuable operating element being provided for adjusting the control valve.

A system including a programmable motion device and an end effector for grasping objects to be moved by the programmable motion device is disclosed. The system includes a vacuum source that provides a high flow vacuum such that an object may be grasped at an end effector opening while permitting a substantial flow of air through the opening, and a dead-head limitation system for limiting any effects of dead-heading on the vacuum source in the event that a flow of air to the vacuum source is interrupted.

The apparatus for handling layers of palletized products includes a gripping head associable to a transfer machine adapted to displace the gripping head at least along a substantially vertical direction, the gripping head being provided with: a support framework associable to the transfer machine, a substantially horizontal suction plane associated to the support framework and adapted to suction a layer (S) of palletized products (P), and a fall-prevention plane associated to the support framework and mobile between a rest configuration, wherein the space underlying the suction plane is clear and the suction plane is free to be arranged at contact with the upper surface of the layer (S) of products (P), and an operating configuration wherein the fall-prevention plane is arranged below the suction plane and the layer (S) of suctioned products (P).

A vacuum lift attachment (10) for a hydraulic work machine, the hydraulic work machine including a control station, a lift arm to which the hydraulic work attachment can be coupled, an auxiliary hydraulic system for operating a coupled hydraulic work attachment and an auxiliary hydraulic actuator in the control station that upon actuation by an operator causes an auxiliary hydraulic control signal to generate. The vacuum lift attachment comprises a body (12) having an upper end (13) that is adapted to be coupled to the lift arm of the hydraulic work machine and for hydraulic fluid connection to the auxiliary hydraulic system of the hydraulic work machine, a vacuum pad (20) mounted to the lower end of the body (10), a hydraulic vacuum pump (34) fluidly connected to the auxiliary hydraulic system and an electronic controller (26) that is configured to receive an auxiliary hydraulic control signal and convert the auxiliary hydraulic control signal to an electronic signal for electronic control of the hydraulic vacuum pump (20) by an operator actuating the auxiliary hydraulic actuator in the control station.

The invention relates to a method for conveying components and to an automated vacuum gripper (1) for components (3), in particular sheet metal parts, comprising a plurality of suction elements (4), which are arranged at a preferably movable support part (5), a first vacuum generator (8) for forming a first vacuum circuit (9), a second vacuum generator (10) for forming a second vacuum circuit (11), at least one switching element connected to a system controller (14) for automated switching of the first vacuum circuit (9) to the second vacuum circuit (11), at least one compressed air supply (15) connected to at least the first and the second vacuum generators (8), at least one sensor device (16, 17), wherein the first vacuum generator (8) is associated with a first predeterminable group (12) of suction elements (4), and the second vacuum generator (10) is connected to a vacuum tank (18) for forming a second vacuum circuit (11), which may be activated in case of emergency and is redundant to the first vacuum circuit (9), and wherein at least one first sensor device is (16) is formed for monitoring the vacuum at least at the first vacuum circuit (9), and at least one second sensor device (17) has an optical sensor for detecting a relative movement of the component (3) during a conveying operation.

Systems and methods for vacuum extraction for material sorting applications are provided. In one embodiments, a vacuum object sorting system comprises: a vacuum extraction assembly that includes at least one vacuum extractor device having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the at least one vacuum extractor device is configured to convert a controlled compressed air stream into a channeled vacuum airflow entering the inlet and exiting the outlet; and an object recognition device coupled to sorting control logic and electronics, wherein the controlled compressed air stream is controlled in response to a signal generated by the object recognition device; wherein the at least one vacuum extractor device is configured to capture a target object identified by the sorting control logic and electronics utilizing the channeled vacuum airflow, and further utilizing the channeled vacuum airflow, to pass the target object through the inlet and outlet to a deposit location.

The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the operating state of a device, including a communication circuit and antenna for wireless transmission of signals to and from a base device arranged on the device, including the steps of: transitioning between first and second operating states, wherein the first operating state corresponds to a position of an interfering object in spaced relation to the antenna and the second operating state corresponds to a position of the interfering object closer in relation to the antenna; interference of the signal transmission between the antenna and the base device by the interfering object when in its closer position, wherein the interfering object does not interfere with the signal transmission when in its spaced position; detection of at least one of the occurrence or lack of interference with the signal transmission for determination of a transition between the operating states.

A vacuum lift attachment (10) for a hydraulic work machine, the hydraulic work machine including a control station, a lift arm to which the hydraulic work attachment can be coupled, an auxiliary hydraulic system for operating a coupled hydraulic work attachment and an auxiliary hydraulic actuator in the control station that upon actuation by an operator causes an auxiliary hydraulic control signal to generate. The vacuum lift attachment comprises a body (12) having an upper end (13) that is adapted to be coupled to the lift arm of the hydraulic work machine and for hydraulic fluid connection to the auxiliary hydraulic system of the hydraulic work machine, a vacuum pad (20) mounted to the lower end of the body (10), a hydraulic vacuum pump (34) fluidly connected to the auxiliary hydraulic system and an electronic controller (26) that is configured to receive an auxiliary hydraulic control signal and convert the auxiliary hydraulic control signal to an electronic signal for electronic control of the hydraulic vacuum pump (20) by an operator actuating the auxiliary hydraulic actuator in the control station.

Systems and methods for vacuum extraction for material sorting applications are provided. In one embodiments, a vacuum object sorting system comprises: a vacuum extraction assembly that includes at least one vacuum extractor device having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the at least one vacuum extractor device is configured to convert a controlled compressed air stream into a channeled vacuum airflow entering the inlet and exiting the outlet; and an object recognition device coupled to sorting control logic and electronics, wherein the controlled compressed air stream is controlled in response to a signal generated by the object recognition device; wherein the at least one vacuum extractor device is configured to capture a target object identified by the sorting control logic and electronics utilizing the channeled vacuum airflow, and further utilizing the channeled vacuum airflow, to pass the target object through the inlet and outlet to a deposit location.

A system including a programmable motion device and an end effector for grasping objects to be moved by the programmable motion device is disclosed. The system includes a vacuum source that provides a high flow vacuum such that an object may be grasped at an end effector opening while permitting a substantial flow of air through the opening, and a dead-head limitation system for limiting any effects of dead-heading on the vacuum source in the event that a flow of air to the vacuum source is interrupted.