A method for unstacking veneer sheets (14), in which an uppermost sheet (14a) of a stack (12) is taken off the stack by using a suction device (24) of a movable gripper, and the sheet is then transferred onto a conveyor (16) and is transported away, wherein the sheet (14a), after the sheet has been lifted by a first gripper (22), is transferred to a second gripper (32), which transfers the sheet to the conveyor (16).

An article holding device includes a base portion whose lower surface has a holding portion, flow paths communicated with holes in the holding portion, and needles provided on the base portion in a posture inclined with respect to the holding portion. The holding portion sucks and holds a sheet-like article using a negative pressure generated, by supplying a fluid to the flow paths and ejecting the fluid from the holes, between the holding portion and the article on the holding portion. When the article is easily allows air to pass through, the needles is moved to a protruding position in which the needles protrude downward from the holding portion, and the holding portion holds the article by piercing the article using the protruded needles.

A robotic document feeder system may comprise a robotic arm coupled to a Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source; a base disposed over an imaging surface of a document scanner, wherein the base comprises a designated scan area through which a document may be imaged by the document scanner; an input bin for storing at least one document to be imaged by the document scanner; and an output bin for storing the at least one document after it has been imaged by the document scanner. The system may further comprise an alignment mechanism in proximity to the designated scan area and configured to align the document substantially over the imaging surface of the document scanner; at least one automated door configured to close the designated scan area after the document has been placed in the designated scan area; and a camera positioned above the designated scan area for imaging a second side of the document.

A card feeding system that feeds cards from a stack to a conveyor system beneath product being carried. A card feed path arranged between a feed conveyor and the outfeed conveyor includes a fixed feed pinch roll and a pivot arm with a pivoting pinch roll and a pair of delivery rolls. A card stack receiving platform is located beneath a picker arm. An elevator is provided for raising the platform with the card stack. The picker arm has suction cups, and is pivotable from a card pick-up position to a feed position in which the card is positioned between the pivoting and fixed pinch rolls. A controller actuates the elevator, the picker arm, the pivot arm, the fixed and delivery pinch rolls to deliver single ones of the cards as product to be placed on the card transitions from the feed conveyor to the outfeed conveyor.

A system for picking cards and identification for a card game includes a robot arm, a shuffling machine, a front identification module, and a rear identification module. The plate body has a low front plate and a high rear plate. The low front plate is provided with a front suction cup assembly. The high rear plate is provided with a rear suction cup assembly. With the above system, when the front suction cup assembly picks the playing card, the rear suction cup assembly will not touch the shuffling machine. While the playing card sucked by the front suction cup assembly is identified, the rear suction cup assembly picks the playing card. While the playing card sucked by the rear suction cup assembly is identified, the front suction cup assembly picks the playing card. This can reduce procedural actions and speed up game progression.

A device for at least emptying a transport container having a stack of plate-shaped items, including semiconductor wafers and/or packaging material, includes at least one measuring device and a holder at least part of which can travel into the transport container. The holder has a holding surface, a number of holding nozzles for at least holding an item in the stack, and, in the region of the holding surface, at least one recess for the measuring device for acquiring measurement data from the item in the stack. At least one separating nozzle is arranged on the holder outside the holding surface such that the nozzle(s) can move between rest and separating positions. In the separating position, a gas stream directed towards the end face of the stack is formed, to release at least one item in the stack that is adhered to the item held by the holder.

A system may include a robotic arm and a Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source and coupled to the robotic arm. The Bernoulli cup assembly may lift a document, and the robotic arm may move the Bernoulli cup assembly with the lifted document to a document scanner for imaging the document. The system may further include an input bin, a base supported by a platform and disposed over an imaging surface of the document scanner, and an output bin. A method may include lifting a document from an input bin via suction pressure using a Bernoulli cup assembly, robotically moving the Bernoulli cup assembly with the lifted document to a document scanner, and scanning the document. The method may further include robotically moving the Bernoulli cup assembly with the lifted document away from the document scanner, and de-activating the suction pressure to release the document.

In order to no longer have to store blanks (Z) separately in a blank magazine (20) and frequently refill the magazine manually, stamping sheets (SB) which contain a plurality of blanks (Z) that are still connected together by means of micro-connections (M) are delivered without stamped grids in a stacked manner on a Euro-pallet (14) for example, and the blanks (Z) are removed individually from the uppermost stamping sheet (SB) by a blank separating device (50) using a gripping tool (2), in particular by means of a separating robot (1) and a gripping tool (2) attached thereto.

A method for loading blanks from a stack of blanks to a head press of a stamping press line is provided. The method may include: providing a loading robot; providing one or more separating robots configured to separate one blank at the top of a stack of blanks from the underlying blanks; providing a stack of blanks and applying separating robots to at least one side of the stack; recognizing the position of the stack of blanks using the position of the separating robots; picking up the blank located at the top of the stack of blanks with the loading robot, using the recognized position of the stack; loading the blank to the head press of the stamping press line using the loading robot. Furthermore disclosed is a system for loading blanks to a head press of a stamping press line.

A device and a method for separating sheet material is provided. The separation of sheet material is not effected statically, but a suitable pick-up position and/or a suitable pick-up mechanism is selected for each sheet material piece, for example in dependence on the quality of a surface of the sheet material piece to be picked up, in order to pick up the sheet material piece from the sheet material stack and remove it from the same.