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 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 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.

A holding head is provided for a vacuum holding device for handling a plate-shaped workpiece about an axis. An arrangement of operating elements on a base body of the holding head includes at least three operating elements connected as actuating elements in a double actuation circuit for releasing the plate-shaped workpiece. Two of the actuating elements are arranged on sides of the arrangement opposite to one another with respect to the position of the axis and the third actuating element is designed ring-shaped and surrounds the axis circumferentially.

A material lifter comprising a vacuum pump, a frame containing the vacuum pump, an arm located on each of two opposing sides of the frame, each arm including an upper end pivotally connected to the frame, a cylinder located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame including an end connected to the frame and an end connected to a respective arm, a vacuum pad located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame and removably connected to a respective arm, the vacuum pads being moveable along the arm to a first location and a first orientation and a second different location and a second different orientation, wherein as the cylinders extend and retract the arms pivot toward and away from one another between a first position and a second different position and the vacuum pads remain in a same orientation during the pivot.

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.

The invention relates to a device (1) for controlling the function of a vacuum lifting device, the device (1) having an in particular neck-shaped distributor block (2) with a first port (3) and a second port (4), a first flow duct (6) being formed in the distributor block (2) via which duct the first port (3) can be fluidically-connected to the second port (4) as required with the aid of a first valve means (12), a second flow duct (7) being formed in the distributor block (2) via which duct the first port (3) can be fluidically-connected to the external atmosphere (50) as required with the aid of a second valve means (13), and a third flow duct (8) being formed in the

A method of controlling operation of a linear actuator, including maintaining the linear actuator in equilibrium when supporting a first load, determining application of a second load on the linear actuator, and selectively actuating the linear actuator in response to application of the second load on the linear actuator.

The invention relates to a vacuum adhesion system, comprising: (a) at least one suction cup having a suction surface for attaching to a surface; (b) at least one system module, comprising: at least one vacuum pump connecting to the suction cup for applying a vacuum to the suction surface for providing suction adhesion; at least one indicator or sensor for indicating or measuring a pressure differential in the suction cup; at least one interface for communicating said measured pressure differential or a value based thereon; and a processor for controlling said vacuum adhesion system.

A material lifter [10] comprising a vacuum pump [70], a frame [20] containing the vacuum pump, an arm [30] located on each of two opposing sides [21] of the frame, each arm including an upper [31] and a lower end [39], the upper end pivotally connected to the frame, a cylinder [100] located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame, each actuator including an upper end [101] connected to the frame and a lower end [109] connected to a respective arm, a vacuum pad [40] located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame, each vacuum pad in fluid communication with the vacuum pump and removably connected to a respective arm, the vacuum pads being moveable along the arm to a first location and a first orientation and a second different location and a second different orientation wherein as the cylinders extend and retract the arms pivot toward and away from one another between a first clock position and a second different clock position and the vacuum pads remain in a same orientation during the pivot.