SUCTION GRIPPER

Abstract

The invention relates to a suction gripper (10) having a gripper base body (12) with a suction side (14) and a plurality of suction points (16), a vacuum connection (18), and a vacuum distribution system (28) with distribution spaces (30) for connecting the suction points (16) with the at least one vacuum port (18). In this case, the gripper base body (12) is sandwiched and has a bottom plate (20), a cover plate (24) and a profile core (22), wherein the profile core (22) has a plurality of wall sections (32), which extend between cover plate (24) and bottom plate (20) in such a way that a plurality of cavities (34) are formed in the gripper body (12) and wherein the manifold spaces (30) of the vacuum manifold system (28) are formed by at least a subset of the cavities (34).

Claims

1. Suction gripper (10) for sucking objects by means of vacuum pressure, comprising: a gripper base body (12) with a suction side (14) having a plurality of suction points (16); at least one vacuum connection (18) for operating the suction gripper (10) by means of vacuum pressure; a vacuum distribution system (28) with distribution chambers (30) for connecting suction points (16) with the at least one vacuum connection (18), characterized in that the gripper base body (12) comprises a bottom plate (20) providing a suction side (14), a cover plate (24) and a profiled core (22), wherein the profiled core (22) is fixed between the bottom plate (20) and cover plate (24), wherein the profiled core (22) comprises a plurality of wall sections (32), which extend between the cover plate (24) and bottom plate (20) such that a plurality of cavities (34) are formed in the gripper base body (12), and wherein distribution spaces (30) of the vacuum distribution system (28) are formed of at least a subset of the plurality of cavities (34).

2. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the wall sections (32) form a spatially regular, in particular periodically repeating, structure between the bottom plate (20) and cover plate (24).

3. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wall portions (32) are integrally connected to each other.

4. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the profile core (22) comprises intermediate walls (42) which run parallel to the cover plate (24) and/or bottom plate (20).

5. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from above along a surface normal, the cover plate (24) and the bottom plate (20) cover identical areas to the cover plate and/or bottom plate, respectively, and the profile core (22) extends over the entire covered surface area.

6. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the profiled core (22) is formed plate-like and has a plurality of areas on at least two different height levels (40a, 40b), wherein the plurality of wall portions (32) extend between the areas of different height levels (40a, 40b).

7. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wall portion (32) has a kink (44) or a wave along an extension between the bottom plate (20) and cover plate (24).

8. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein at least some wall sections (32) extend obliquely to the cover plate (24) and/or bottom plate (20).

9. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the wall sections (32) are inclined relative to each other.

10. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wall sections (32), when viewed along the surface normal on cover plate (24) and/or bottom plate (20), form a honeycomb structure (50).

11. Suction gripper (10) of claim 10, wherein the honeycomb structure (50) comprises a plurality of honeycombs (52), wherein the cross-sectional area increases or decreases along the extent of the honeycomb (52) from the bottom plate (20) to the cover plate (24).

12. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the wall sections (32) extend such that at least some of the cavities (34) are formed as channels (54) which extend parallel to the bottom plate (20) and/or cover plate (24).

13. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the wall sections (32) extend such that at least some of the cavities (34) are sealed in pairs against each other.

14. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein each distribution space (30) is assigned a plurality of suction points (16) and these are connected via this distribution space (30) to the vacuum connection (18).

15. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate (24) comprises at least one distribution access (36) which opens into a distribution space (30) or into a group of distribution spaces (30).

16. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the profile core (22) is mirror-symmetrical with respect to a median plane (48) between the bottom plate (20) and cover plate (24).

17. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the gripper base body (12) is integrally formed, wherein preferably cover plate (24), profile core (22) and bottom plate (20) are made of the same material.

18. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 1, wherein the subset of the cavities (34) are filled with a filling material different from that of the plurality of wall sections (32), including a porous filling material (56) like foam.

19. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of wall portions (32) are integrally connected to each other.

20. Suction gripper (10) according to claim 2, wherein the profile core (22) comprises intermediate walls (42) which run parallel to the cover plate (24) and/or bottom plate (20).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] In the drawings:

[0041] FIG. 1: is an overall view of a surface suction gripper;

[0042] FIG. 2: is a detail of a longitudinal section with sectional plane A-A in FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 3: is a representation of a section through the gripper base body of a first design possibility;

[0044] FIG. 4: is a sectional view through the gripper base body in a further design possibility;

[0045] FIGS. 5 to 7: are sectional views through gripper base body to illustrate further design possibilities;

[0046] FIGS. 8 to 10: are plan views of profile cores in sketched illustration to explain further design possibilities;

[0047] FIG. 11: is a sketch of a section through a gripper base body for explaining a configuration with filling material; and

[0048] FIG. 12: is a sketched representation of a section through a gripper base body according to a further design possibility.

[0049] In the following description and in the drawings, the same reference signs are used in each case for identical or corresponding features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a suction gripper designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 suction gripper (surface suction gripper) in a perspective view. The suction gripper 10 has an overall plate-like gripper base body 12, the underside of which forms a suction side 14, on which a plurality of suction cups 16 are provided arranged in the manner of a matrix. The suction points 16 are formed in the illustrated example as an elastomer suction cup, in particular a bellows suction cup. The gripper body also has a plurality of vacuum connections 18.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a longitudinal section through the gripper base body 12 along the line A-A in FIG. 1 with a sectional plane extending perpendicular to the suction side 14. The gripper base body 12 accordingly has a sandwich-type structure and comprises a bottom plate 20, a profile core 22 abutting the bottom plates 20 and a cover plate 24 abutting the profile core. The suction points 16 are provided on the bottom plate 20, so that the bottom plate 20 in total provides the suction side 14 of the next suction pad 10. The vacuum ports 18 are provided on the cover plate 24. Each suction point 16 is assigned a bellows suction cup 26 in the example shown.

[0052] The suction gripper 10 has a system, referred to in its entirety as a vacuum distribution system 28, made of distribution spaces 30 in the interior of the gripper base body 12. The distribution spaces 30 are formed by the profile core 22 having a plurality of wall sections 32 which extend between the bottom plate 20 and the cover plate 24. As a result, a plurality of cavities 34 are separated in the gripper base body 20. In the illustrated example, some of the cavities 34 each act as distribution spaces 30 of the vacuum distribution system 28.

[0053] As can be seen in FIG. 2, a cavity 34 acting as a distribution space 30 is connected from the side of the cover plate 24 to a distribution access 36, which in turn is flow-connected to a corresponding vacuum connection 18.

[0054] In principle, a plurality of suction points 16 can open into a distribution space 30, so that they can be subjected to vacuum pressure via the distribution space 30, the associated distribution access 36 and the corresponding vacuum connection 18.

[0055] In this respect, the wall sections 32 of the profile core 22 together with the bottom plate 20 and cover plate 24 form a plurality of cavities 34, wherein some of the cavities 34 act as distribution spaces 30. Here, various configurations for the profile core 22 may be advantageous.

[0056] In FIGS. 3 to 6, excerpts from a gripper base body 12 are shown in a sketched representation, for example in a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2.

[0057] Preferably, the wall sections form a spatially regular and periodically repeating structure, in particular when viewed in a longitudinal section perpendicular to the bottom plate 20 or cover plate 24 (see FIGS. 3 to 6).

[0058] The wall sections 32 may, for example, run flat and extend substantially perpendicularly between the bottom plate 20 and the cover plate 24 (cf., FIG. 3). As a result, a number of cavities 34 are formed which, depending on the course of the wall sections 32, can be configured cylindrically with a polygonal base surface.

[0059] The profile core 22 may also comprise a substantially continuous and connected wall 38, and, for example, run in a wavy manner between the cover plate 24 and bottom plate 20 (see FIG. 4). This is an exemplary realization that the profile core is formed as a whole plate-like and has a wall structure which has a plurality of areas at different height levels 40a, 40b (see FIG. 4). For this purpose, the wave structure is not mandatory (cf., for example, FIG. 5 with wall sections 32, which has a wave-free profile).

[0060] The wall sections 32 may run obliquely to the cover plate 24 and/or bottom plate 20 (cf., FIGS. 5 to 7). The profile core 22 may, in addition to the wall portions 32 which extend between the bottom plate 20 and cover plate 24, also comprise intermediate walls 42 which extend substantially parallel to the bottom plate 20 and/or cover plate 24 (see, e.g., FIGS. 5 and 6). However, the intermediate walls 42 can also run obliquely. In principle, the wall section 32 can also extend between the bottom plate 20 and the cover plate 24 in such a way that a kink 44 or a wave is formed (see FIG. 6). This makes it possible to realize various geometries for the cavities 34 and thus the distribution spaces 30.

[0061] The profile core 22 can be realized, for example, by joining together two or more complementary fitting plates 46a, 46b (see FIG. 7). As a result, a high mechanical strength can be achieved. In this respect, the wall sections 32 are then designed as double walls or multiple walls.

[0062] In principle, the profile core 22 may be mirror-symmetrical with respect to a median plane 48 between the bottom plate 20 and the cover plate 24 (see, for example, FIG. 6).

[0063] In the FIGS. 8 to 10, sketched representations of a plan view of the profile core 22 and on the structure formed by the wall sections 32 are shown. The plan view is a view along a surface normal on the bottom plate and/or cover plate 24.

[0064] The wall sections 32 may extend in such a way that a honeycomb structure 50 is formed with a plurality of honeycombs 52 (see FIG. 8). The suction points 16 may be positioned on the bottom plate 20 such that a honeycomb 52 is associated with one or several suction points. The honeycomb structure 50 preferably comprises polygonal honeycombs 52 (see FIG. 8).

[0065] FIG. 9 shows a profiled core 22 in plan view, which has pyramidal cavities 34. Such a profile core 22 can be achieved, for example, by the embodiment according to FIG. 5, when the walls 32 of the profile core 22 are designed in the manner of capped pyramids with a square base surface. Insofar, the profile core 22 according to FIG. 9 has honeycombs with a square base surface, wherein the cross section of each honeycomb changes along the course from the bottom plate 20 to the cover plate 24.

[0066] However, the wall sections 32 of the profile core 22 can also be designed so that the cavities 34 are formed as channels 54 which extend in the profile core 22 parallel to the bottom plate 20 and/or cover plate 24 (see FIG. 10). Such a profile core can be realized, for example, with the embodiment according to FIG. 5, when the wall sections 32 extend along the suction side 14 and are not closed to pyramidal structures.

[0067] Some of the cavities 34 may be filled with a preferably porous filling material 56 (see FIG. 11). Preferably, those cavities 34 are filled with the filling material 56, which does not act as distribution spaces 30.

[0068] Filling certain regions of the profile core 22 with filling material 56 also makes it possible to produce cavities 34 in the profile core 22 which are not connected by wall sections to the bottom plate 20 and/or cover plate 24 (see FIG. 12). For this purpose, for example, a tubular insert 58 may be accommodated in the filling material 56. The interior of the insert 58 then forms one of said cavities 34. The walls of the tubular insert 56 form wall sections 32 (see FIG. 12).

[0069] The sandwich-like configuration of the gripper base body 12 makes it possible to arrange on the cover plate 24, in addition to the vacuum connections 18, further functional units of the suction gripper 10. For example, compressed-air-operated vacuum generators 60 and/or valve devices 62 can be mounted on the cover plate 24, the overall structure being compact and clear (see FIG. 1).