A gripper for a depalletization machine to grip an interlayer sheet of a load to be disassembled, comprising a frame; and a first and a second arm, which are movable with respect to frame. The arms are independently movable between respective retracted and forward positions with respect to frame. Retracted positions of the arms correspond to respective first distances between homologous points of respective arms and frame. Forward positions of the arms correspond to respective second distances between homologous points of first and second arms and frame. Second distances are greater than respective first distances. The gripper is settable in a first configuration, in which the arms are in a forward position and are adapted to grip respective sides of interlayer sheet; and a second configuration, in which only one arm is in respective forward position and is adapted to grip one side of interlayer sheet.

Disclosed is a spacer gripper, a bead-apex storage system and a method for lifting one or more of the spacers from a stack of bead-apexes, wherein each spacer has a central aperture, wherein the central apertures of the spacers in the stack of bead-apexes are aligned in a stacking direction to form a central space, wherein the spacer gripper has a gripper head and a plurality of spacer engagement members protruding from said gripper head for reaching into the central space of the respective stack at least up to a second spacer of the respective stack from the top of the respective stack, wherein the plurality of spacer engagement members are movable into an engagement position for engaging said second spacer to lift said second spacer from the respective stack simultaneously with a first spacer at the top of the respective stack.

Disclosed is a bead-apex storage system and a method for handling carriers, each carrier supporting a stack of bead-apexes stacked in a stacking direction and alternated with spacers separating the bead-apexes, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a plurality of storage stations for storing the carriers and a transfer station for transferring one of the plurality of bead-apexes to a tire building machine, wherein the bead-apex storage system further includes a spacer gripper for lifting one or more of the spacers from one of the carriers in one of the plurality of storage stations and for carrying said one or more lifted spacers to the transfer station, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a spacer gripper base for supporting the spacer gripper, wherein the spacer gripper base is movable from the transfer station to any one of the plurality of storage stations.

A layer destacking system, for destacking a layer from a stacked layer pallet load, including a layer seating platform configured so as to seat the destacked layer on the layer seating platform, a slip sheet detection sensor arranged to sense a slip sheet in contact with the seated destacked layer, a slip sheet pickup removal mechanism, and a controller that receives a signal from the slip sheet detection sensor identifying presence of the slip sheet. The controller is operably connected to the slip sheet pickup removal mechanism so as to actuate the slip sheet pickup removal mechanism effecting discharge of the slip sheet off the layer seating platform.

A de-stacking device for layer de-stacking stacking layers from standard transport pallets which include a multi-layer stack of stacking layers arranged on top of each other, wherein an optional bending stiff spacer is arranged under each of the stacking layers, wherein the stacking layers are formed by a plurality of stable standing transport goods that are stackable and arranged adjacent to each other, the de-stacking device including a placement and separation table for a respective stacking layer that is removed from the stack of the transport pallet and includes or does not include the optional spacer; a transfer device for transferring the respective stacking layer that includes or does not include the optional spacer from the stack of the transport pallet onto the placement and separation table, wherein the placement and separation table includes a fixation device for the optional spacer.

Disclosed is a bead-apex storage system and a method for handling carriers, each carrier supporting a stack of bead-apexes stacked in a stacking direction and alternated with spacers separating the bead-apexes, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a plurality of storage stations for storing the carriers and a transfer station for transferring one of the plurality of bead-apexes to a tire building machine, wherein the bead-apex storage system further includes a spacer gripper for lifting one or more of the spacers from one of the carriers in one of the plurality of storage stations and for carrying said one or more lifted spacers to the transfer station, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a spacer gripper base for supporting the spacer gripper, wherein the spacer gripper base is movable from the transfer station to any one of the plurality of storage stations.

A system for stacking fuel cells for a fuel cell stack includes a component part storage region to store the fuel cells, a finished product storage region to store a completed fuel cell stack transferred by an automated guided vehicle, and a plurality of stacking regions disposed between the component part storage region and the finished product storage region, where one side of each stacking region corresponding to the finished product storage region is formed as an entry and exit for the automated guided vehicle for the fuel cell stack, a stacking unit is disposed at each of remaining sides of the stacking region, and the stacking region is supplied with the fuel cells from the component part storage region by the automated guided vehicle to sequentially stack the fuel cells to manufacture the fuel cell stack.

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 fuel cell separator conveying device that ensures reducing dirt adhesion on a sealing surface of a stacked fuel cell separator using a protection sheet and reducing the protection sheet being left adhered when the fuel cell separator is conveyed is provided. The fuel cell separator conveying device that lifts up and conveys the fuel cell separator placed on the protection sheet includes a grasping portion that grasps the fuel cell separator by a suction force, a moving unit that moves the grasping portion in a lift-up direction of the fuel cell separator, and an air blowing portion that applies a downward force in an opposite direction of the lift-up direction of the fuel cell separator to the protection sheet through an opening of the fuel cell separator when the moving unit moves the grasping portion.

The disclosure relates to a device for the automated transfer of an elastomeric block between a first position, where it is installed on a flexible support, and a second position. The device comprises a gripper that is able to take hold of the block and a manipulator that is able to move and orient the gripper so as to set the block in motion.

The disclosure also relates to a method for running such a device.