A vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles, comprises an upper chassis joined to a substantially planar lower suction plate and an airflow suction system for conveying vacuum air pressure to the suction plate. The suction plate comprises a plurality of suction plate modules, each comprising a housing with a substantially hollow interior and each of the housings being located laterally adjacent at least one other of the housings. Each of the housings comprises a lower plate, an upper plate and at least one side plate, each housing being affixed to the laterally adjacent housing along a seam between adjoining pairs of side plates. The upper plates each comprise at least one opening and the lower plates are each perforated with a plurality of orifices through which, in use, air is drawn along airflow paths through the interior and out of the opening by the airflow suction system.

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.

An end-of-arm tool and an associated robotic arm are configured to place items (e.g., soft-sided merchandise) into a case. In an example, an end-of-arm tool is configured to grasp a surface (e.g., the top surface) of an item of merchandise and deposit the item into the case. Accordingly, as an item is deposited, the tool uses contact with that item to move previously placed items back into their preferred locations. After the penultimate item in a row of items is put in place, it may move out of position. As a final item is added to a row, the tool pivots the final item so that a side surface of the final item pushes the penultimate item into its correct position. The tool then pivots the final item to orient the top surface of the item horizontally, and places it in a predetermined position.

A method and system for wireless communication in a conveyor system. The method includes: formulating a command from a master controller to an accessory controller; translating the command into a simplified protocol; transmitting the simplified command via a wireless communications channel; receiving the simplified command at a wireless receiver; processing the simplified command by the accessory controller; formulating a response to the master controller from the accessory controller; transmitting the response via the wireless communications channel; and translating the response for handling by the master controller. The system includes: a downlink converter/transmitter configured to translate a command into a simplified protocol and send a simplified command via a wireless signal; an accessory receiver/transmitter configured to receive the wireless signal; and an accessory interface configured to communicate the simplified command to the accessory for execution.

An apparatus for sorting and stacking slab-shaped elements has an inlet line; plural suction gripping units; a sorting carousel rotatable around an axis and including multiple carousel arms mutually solidly constrained and each bearing a respective one of the plurality suction gripping units; a plurality of seats for receiving the slab-shaped elements, forming stacks thereof; and a support crown solidly constrained to a frame. The carousel axis and an axis of the support crown coincide with one another. Each carousel arm is supported by the support crown at or in proximity of a respective free end. A first slab-shaped element from the inlet line can be gripped by a first one of the suction gripping units, rotated by a first one of the carousel arms which bears the first suction gripping unit, and released by the first suction gripping unit on a first of the seats.

The disclosure relates to a method for inserting products into trays at a loading station for a tray sealer, where a tray of several trays loaded with product by way of a gripper unit to a target value at the loading station and provided therein on a tray conveyor is pushed directly onto a discharge belt of the loading station by way of a tray pusher formed on the gripper unit. The disclosure furthermore relates to a loading station for a tray sealer.

Blister packs in a first and a second pick position are arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal row, which is parallel to a longitudinal center plane of the transfer unit and which extends in an area of the longitudinal center plane. The first blister pack in the first pick position is picked, moved, and placed in the first place position from above. The second blister pack in the second pick position is also picked, moved, and placed in the second place position from above. The blister packs in the first and second place positions are arranged with a lateral offset relative to the longitudinal center plane, and the blister packs in the first and second place positions are rotated 180° around their centers in comparison to their orientation in the first and second pick positions.

Systems and methods to manipulate stacks of silicon wafers and rings are described. In one aspect, a robotic actuator includes a robotic end effector that further a first surface having multiple attached wafer suction cups arranged to collectively grasp a silicon wafer. The robotic end effector also includes a second surface that further includes multiple attached ring suction cups arranged to collectively grasp a ring. The second surface also includes a bulk grabber positionable to grasp a collective stack of rings. The robotic actuator also includes an axial actuator configured to rotate the robotic end effector about a flip axis, such that either the first surface or the second surface faces vertically upwards.

A suction gripper for handling small piece goods, particularly pharmaceutical packages, is provided. The suction gripper is suitable for handling different small piece goods. The suction gripper includes a main element, a rotary drive arranged on the main element with an axis of rotation which is vertical in the starting position, an end-effector unit coupled to the axis of rotation, wherein the end-effector unit has a holding element, to which a suction arm holder is fastened, wherein the suction arm holder has at least two elongated suction arms which each have a suction head with a suction surface at their distal end, wherein the suction arms are designed such that a negative pressure can be applied to them. The suction arm holder is rotatably mounted on the holding element, and the suction surfaces of the suction heads are dimensioned differently for handling different types of small piece goods.

A gripper for a picking device for small piece goods is provided. The gripper includes a delivery table extending in a first horizontal direction and a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, a gripping jaw guide assembly having two gripping jaws extending in the first horizontal direction over the delivery table, wherein at least one of the gripping jaws is movable in the second horizontal direction, and a drive unit which is coupled to the gripping jaw guide assembly and configured to move the gripping jaw guide assembly in the first horizontal direction. At least one of the gripping jaws is configured as a suction jaw and has a suction device having a suction surface for suctioning a small piece good, wherein a vacuum can be applied on the suction device using a suction line.