A display panel vacuum suction system includes a control device, a robot arm, and a vacuum device. The robot arm includes two or more retractable rods, and each of the retractable rods is connected with a vacuum plate. Each vacuum chamber is disposed in each of the vacuum plates, and each vacuum hole is disposed on a surface of each of the vacuum plates, wherein each vacuum chamber is connected with the vacuum device by a suction pipe. The control device controls expansion and retraction of the retractable rods of the robot arm, so that the vacuum plates connected with the retractable rods can be combined to pick up a single display panel or pick up two display panels respectively. By combining vacuum plates, and controlling the opening or closing of the vacuum holes of each of the vacuum plates, different sizes of display panels can be sucked.

A vacuum powered pickup tool with mechanically moveable discrete nozzles allows for selective activation of the nozzles through the mechanical movement of the nozzles relative to a vacuum manifold. The movement of a nozzle from an inactive position where an inlet port of the nozzle is fluidly decoupled with the vacuum manifold to an active position where the inlet port is fluidly coupled with the vacuum manifold allows for independent activation of discrete nozzles of the pickup tool. Aspects also contemplate varying an associate manifold through movement of the manifolds accessible to the inlet port of the nozzle when in the active position.

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 system for automatically handling components to be assembled onto a product on an assembly line includes a carriage that is movable to and between a first, retracted position spaced from the assembly line, and a second position displaced from the retracted position in a direction toward the assembly line. A manipulator on the carriage supports a component mounting tool configured to receive and support at least one component for assembly to the product. The manipulator may be arranged in a first orientation when the carriage is in the first position, and may be pivoted to a second orientation when the carriage is in the second position, such that a component on the component mounting tool is supported in a pose for processing when the carriage is in the first position, and is supported in a pose for joining to the product when the carriage is in the second position.

A feeding unit to feed a component in an automatic manufacturing machine; has: at least one holding head designed to receive and hold the component; a closed curved guide arranged in a fixed position along an application path; an equipment supporting the holding head and provided with at least one slide coupled to the guide by a plurality of wheels; a linear electric motor, and a movable slider electro-magnetically coupled to the stator and is rigidly connected to the slide. The guide has, on the surface in contact with the wheels, a first transverse profile having a concavity or a convexity; the wheels have, on the surface in contact with the guide, a second transverse profile, which has a convexity or a concavity, and generates, with the first profile, a shape coupling between the guide and the wheels, which forbids a transverse movement of the slide relative to the guide.

A feeding unit to feed components in an automatic manufacturing machine; the feeding unit has: a plurality of sucking holding heads, which are each designed to receive and hold a corresponding component; a closed curved guide, which is arranged in a fixed position along the application path; a plurality of equipment, each supporting a corresponding holding head and provided with at least one slide, which is coupled to the guide so as to freely slide along the guide by a plurality of wheels; a suction chamber, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis; and a flexible connection system, which pneumatically connects the suction chamber to each holding head.

Packaging apparatus and methods include a plurality of article grippers driven by independently controlled motors in an end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for picking articles, grouping articles, adjusting group pitch and placing article groups in packages where incoming articles and packages are continuously or intermittently moving and without motion of the entire EOAT in the direction in which articles and packages are picked and moved. Hole healing and incoming product registration apparatus and methods are disclosed.

A vacuum powered pickup tool with mechanically moveable discrete nozzles allows for selective activation of the nozzles through the mechanical movement of the nozzles relative to a vacuum manifold. The movement of a nozzle from an inactive position where an inlet port of the nozzle is fluidly decoupled with the vacuum manifold to an active position where the inlet port is fluidly coupled with the vacuum manifold allows for independent activation of discrete nozzles of the pickup tool. Aspects also contemplate varying an associate manifold through movement of the manifolds accessible to the inlet port of the nozzle when in the active position.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for toroidal suction grippers. In one embodiment, an example device may include a first annular elastic membrane configured to form an orifice having a toroid geometry, and a first vacuum suction device disposed in the first annular elastic membrane. The first annular elastic membrane may be configured to be actuated to grasp an object.

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.