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 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.

A controller for controlling a vacuum generator in a vacuum system for transportation of objects, which vacuum system comprises a vacuum generator driven by a compressed air flow via a first on/off valve, to supply vacuum to a vacuum gripper, the vacuum system comprises a second valve arranged to supply compressed air into the vacuum system; a pressure sensor for monitoring a system-pressure inside a vacuum chamber; and the controller that is arranged to communicate with the first on/off valve, the second valve and the pressure sensor; and when the on/off valve is not flowing air to the vacuum generator, and the controller indicates a state of no vacuum generation, and if a fluctuation from a pressure-equilibrium to a negative time-derivative of the system-pressure is detected, the controller is arranged to activate the second valve, allowing compressed air to flow into the vacuum-chamber for compensation to re-establish the pressure-equilibrium.

A portable vacuum lifter system having a power source, drive motor, vacuum pump and reservoir contained in a readily carriable case. The system also has a vacuum pad in fluid communication with the vacuum pump via a vacuum line and a solenoid operated valve. The system is removably mountable on a small host vehicle for use in confined areas.

An assembly, method and system for lifting a package defining an internal aperture. The lifting assembly has an elongate handle configured for attachment to a vacuum lift system, and a lifting tool. The lifting tool has a connecting end configured to attach the lifting tool to the distal end of the handle and a lifting end insertable into the aperture of the package. The lifting end can define an internal chamber. A pin or spindle of a package processing apparatus is insertable into the internal chamber so that the lifting tool can place the package on the spindle.

A portable vacuum lifter system having a power source, drive motor, vacuum pump and reservoir contained in a readily carriable case. The system also has a vacuum pad in fluid communication with the vacuum pump via a vacuum line and a solenoid operated valve. The system is removably mountable on a small host vehicle for use in confined areas.

A controller (5) for controlling a vacuum generator (3) in a vacuum system (10) for transportation of objects, which vacuum system (3) comprises a vacuum generator (3) driven by a compressed air flow via a first on/off valve (1), wherein the vacuum generator (3) via a vacuum chamber (11) being part of the vacuum system (10) is arranged to be brought in flow connection with the vacuum gripper means (6) comprised in the vacuum system (10), in order to supply vacuum to the vacuum gripper means (6) in result of the compressed air flow, wherein the vacuum system (10) comprises a second valve (2) arranged to supply compressed air into the vacuum system (10); a pressure sensor (4) for monitoring (21) a system pressure (P) inside the vacuum chamber (11); and a vacuum system controller (5), wherein the controller (5) is arranged to communicate with the first on/off valve (1), the second valve (2) and the pressure sensor and when the on/off valve (1) is not flowing air to the vacuum generator (3), and the controller (5) indicates a state of no vacuum generation, and if a fluctuation from a pressure-equilibrium to a negative time-derivative of the system-pressure (P) is detected, the controller is arranged to activate the second valve (2), allowing an amount of compressed air to flow into the vacuum-chamber (11) for compensation to re-establish the pressure-equilibrium.

A compact overhead traveling hoist system for transferring product elements from a remote marshalling area to an assembly line work station includes an elevated rail system with a fixed longitudinally extending runway rail and a laterally extending bridge rail which is displaceable along the runway rail. A rail trolley is carried for controlled bi-directional displacement along the bridge rail. A hoisting device is carried by the rail trolley and includes a base member, an object grappler carried with the base member operative to selectively engage, transport and release product elements between the marshaling area and the work station, a linearly expandable structure coupling the rail trolley and the base portion, and a hoist drive operative for raising and lowering the base portion/object grappler. A controller includes assembly line work station operator input control devices located on the object grappler to control all aspects of the operation of the hoist system.

A sucker includes: a main body having a bottom face formed with an annular abutment; a disc body made of a flexible material having a tapered annular wall, the disc body being disposed under the bottom face of the main body, an outer circumference of the annular wall being formed with a lip edge positioned below the annular contact area; an air chamber being formed in the disc body; an air-sucking passage and a fast flow way; the air-sucking passage having a first end in communication with the air chamber of the disc body and a second end passing through the disc body and the main body to communicate with the fast flow way. When the sucker sucks a surface of an object, the air in the air-sucking passage is sucked into the fast flow way.

The invention relates to a handling system comprising a tube lifter with a lifting tube which has a tube interior, and with an end effector, which is mounted on the lifting tube so as to be rotatable about an end effector axis of rotation, a manipulator for displacing the end effector, a coupling device for coupling the tube lifter to the manipulator, wherein the coupling device has a first tube lifter coupling portion and a second manipulator coupling portion, wherein the first and second coupling portions can be connected to one another by means of a connecting device, wherein the manipulator has a driven rotary element which is rotatable about a manipulator axis of rotation, wherein the coupling device comprises a gearbox which is designed to translate a rotary movement of the rotary element about the manipulator axis of rotation into a rotary movement of the end effector about the end effector axis of rotation in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions.