A self-contained hoist device, rail device and hoist system for hoisting building materials, comprising a housing; and lifting beam extending from the housing; wherein a hoist motor for driving a winch provided with a hoisting wire and a battery pack for powering the hoist motor are arranged inside the housing, and a distal end of the hoisting wire is adapted to be attached to a fixing point above the self-contained hoist device, whereby operation of the hoist motor may cause the housing and lifting beam to be raised and lowered, respectively.

Device (1) for carrying an object (2) having a smooth surface, which device comprises a first frame (3) that is arranged to be able to manipulate the device and the object to be carried, as well as a second frame (5) onto which a number of suction cups (6) is attached. The second frame is planar rotatably with respect to the first frame. Furthermore a number of vacuum sources (8, 9) is provided for evacuating the suction cups. The vacuum sources and suction cups are interconnected by means of at least one spiral-shaped hose assembly (10) of which the hoses (11), each being connected to a vacuum source (8) and a suction cup (6), are in the same spiral plane (14).

Embodiments of a solar panel trailer (10) of this disclosure include a fixed frame (20) having a pair of tilt hinges (55) at a forward end (21); a tilting frame (70) having forks (83) and connected to the pair of tilt hinges; a pair of lifting cylinders (140) having a piston end (141) and a rod end (143), the piston end connected to the fixed frame, the rod end connected to a corresponding one of the pair of tilt hinges, and a pair of vertically oriented clamps (120) located at a rearward end (31) of the trailer, an open end (121) of each clamp facing away from the rearward end; the tilting frame tilting the pair of lifting cylinders extend and retract. The trailer may be accompanied by a vacuum lifter (150) including a slewing bearing (151); at least two spring-loaded, disc-shaped vacuum pads (153); and vacuum pump (155).

A photovoltaic power generation module installation support system according to the present invention comprises: a conveyor device, which assembles a plurality of photovoltaic power generation modules into one string and moves same in one direction; and a loading cart including an accommodation space in which the string moved from the conveyor device is loaded in the direction that is horizontal to the ground, wherein the conveyor device includes one or more end stoppers for providing a vertical alignment line of the photovoltaic power generation module first arranged at one end of the conveyor device.

A gripping device for a part stacking system that according to one embodiment includes a plurality of supporting arms and a plurality of gripping elements attached to the supporting arms, at least some of the gripping elements being movable with respect to the respective supporting arm. Each supporting arm comprises at least one guiderail and each movable gripping element comprises a carriage movable in the corresponding guiderail. The static friction force between each carriage and the respective guiderail is such that the movable gripping elements are kept immobile with respect to the supporting arms by the static friction force during the part stacking process, and the movable gripping elements are positioned with respect to the respective supporting arm overcoming the static friction force.

Device for manipulating a flat object (1), comprising a lifting hook (2) and a traverse (4) with suction cups (5), which are evacuated by means of a vacuum pump (6). The traverse is connected to the hoisting hook via a bearing structure (7), so that the traverse can be rotated (R) and be tilted (K). The bearing structure comprises a rotary bearing (8/9) and a pivot bearing (11/13). The rotary bearing comprises an outer bearing member (8) connected with the traverse and an inner bearing member (9). The pivot bearing is connected with the lower end (12) of the lifting hook by means of a first bearing portion (11), and is connected to the inner bearing member of the rotary bearing by means a second bearing portion (13), which is tiltable relative to the first bearing portion. By means of a mounting frame (14) the vacuum pump is connected with the second bearing portion (13) of the pivot bearing and/or with the inner bearing member (9) of the rotary bearing, so that the vacuum pump tilts but does not co-rotate with the traverse and the object.

Device (1) for carrying an object (2) having a smooth surface, which device comprises a first frame (3) that is arranged to be able to manipulate the device and the object to be carried, as well as a second frame (5) onto which a number of suction cups (6) is attached. The second frame is planar rotatably with respect to the first frame. Furthermore a number of vacuum sources (8, 9) is provided for evacuating the suction cups. The vacuum sources and suction cups are interconnected by means of at least one spiral-shaped hose assembly (10) of which the hoses (11), each being connected to a vacuum source (8) and a suction cup (6), are in the same spiral plane (14).

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.

A suction-type hand according to the present invention includes a base part, a plurality of linear drive devices successively arranged in the base part, a plurality of link parts, which are each connected to the corresponding one of movable parts of the linear drive devices and which are moved closer to or moved away from the base part in response to the movement of the movable parts, a plurality of joint parts for connecting the plurality of link parts in series, and rotatably supporting the link parts, and a plurality of suction parts for drawing and holding a workpiece, which are each supported by the corresponding one of the plurality of link parts.

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.