A single-sheet lifter includes a base frame arranged in a vicinity of a loading area and extending vertically, a separation unit configured to separate an uppermost workpiece from a plurality of the workpieces loaded in the loading area by means of at least one of an injection pressure of air and a suction force, and a counter balancer configured to reduce a weight acting on the separation unit. The separation unit is provided to the base frame so as to be able to move up and down. The separation unit includes a contact member that comes into contact with a surface of the uppermost workpiece. The separation unit is configured to go up following a lifting operation of a workpiece suction lifter and be retracted from above the loading area when the workpiece suction lifter sucks the surface of the uppermost workpiece to lift the workpiece.

In a seal affixing system, adsorption pores are arranged plurally along a first direction and a second direction on an adsorption face, and the plurality of adsorption pores are sectioned into a first suction region, a second suction region, and a third suction region containing a plurality of adsorption pores from a downstream side to an upstream side along a movement direction, and a controller controls a suction power generator to individually suck the first suction region, the second suction region, and the third suction region. According to the seal affixing system, a turbulent spot will not be generated in the affixed seal.

Described herein is an end effector for picking up and placing an object on a rigid tool. The end effector comprises a plate and an internal seal attached to the plate. The internal seal comprises an internal permeable layer and an internal impermeable film. The end effector further comprises at least one vacuum port extending through the plate and open to the internal permeable layer. Additionally, the end effector may comprise an external seal attached to the plate. The external seal comprises an external permeable layer and an external impermeable film.

Laying die includes an attaching element having an inlet port for receiving positively pressurized gas; and a carrier body made from an elastically deformable material and attached on a lower side of the attaching element. The carrier body includes passages enabling a gas flow between the attaching element and the lower side of the carrier body opposed to the attaching element. The attaching element houses a flow path arranged to receive pressurized gas from the inlet port and a longitudinal pathway extending from the lower side of the attaching element towards an upper side of the attaching element. The flow path discharges into the longitudinal pathway at a junction section, which is arranged such that pressurized gas discharging into the longitudinal pathway creates a negative pressure and comprises a curved deflection surface curved towards the upper side of the attaching element.

Various example embodiments described herein relate to an item manipulation system including a control system and a robotic arm coupled to the control system. The item manipulation system includes an end effector communicatively coupled to the control system and defines a first end and a second end. The first end of the end effector is rotatably engaged to the robotic arm. The item manipulation system also includes a gripper unit attached to the second end of the end effector. The gripper unit is configured to grip the item. The gripper unit includes at least one flexible suction cup and at least one rigid gripper. Each of the flexible suction cup and the at least one rigid gripper engage a surface of the item based on vacuum suction force generated through the at least one flexible suction cup or the at least one rigid gripper.

A transfer robot transfers workpieces while sucking upper surfaces of the workpieces. The transfer robot includes a first hand body attached to a first robotic arm, a second hand body attached to a second robotic arm, a first suction part attached to the first hand body, and a second suction part attached to the second hand body. The first suction part has a pair of suction bodies, the pair of suction bodies extending in a horizontal first direction and separated from each other in a horizontal second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second suction part has at least one suction body extending in the first direction, and the one suction body is changeable in an entering amount into an area between the pair of suction parts of the first suction part according to a relative movement of the second hand body in the first direction.

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.

According to one embodiment, a holding device includes a first holder configured to hold an upper surface of an article, and a second holder configured to hold a side surface of the article. The holding device performs at least a first operation of the first and second holders holding the article, and a second operation of only the first holder holding the article.

According to one embodiment, a holding device includes: a support member; a first holding unit having a first holding portion configured to hold a holding object; a second holding unit having a second holding portion configured to hold the holding object; and a controller configured to control an operation of the first holding unit and the second holding unit. The controller is configured to switch which of the first holding unit and the second holding unit is used for holding the holding object, by rotating the first holding unit and the second holding unit in a state where the first holding unit and the second holding unit face different directions, and control to change an orientation with respect to the support member, by rotating at least one of the first holding unit and the second holding unit with respect to the support member.

An emblem installation system for installing emblems on a work piece includes an end effector for a robotic arm. The end effector has a base and multiple vacuum gripper modules repositionable along the base in different configurations. The vacuum gripper modules are configured to simultaneously grip multiple emblems and individually release the emblems. An emblem installation method includes applying a force within a first range of forces to the multiple emblems individually and in succession via vacuum gripper modules of an end effector on a robotic arm, with the emblems disposed at a first location, applying a vacuum to the vacuum gripper modules to grip the emblems with the vacuum gripper modules, and moving the robotic arm from the first location to a second location adjacent a workpiece with the emblems gripped by the vacuum gripper modules.