Device and method for handling elements

Abstract

A device for handling elements comprises a shank provided with a stop; a rod which is longitudinally movable and rotatable with respect to the shank, comprising a flap at one end thereof, so as to define a clamp between the stop and the flap for gripping an element. A method comprises placing elements separated by at least one slit on a surface; inserting a tip of a shank provided with a flap inside the slit; placing a stop in contact with an upper part of the element; rotating the shank, holding the element on the upper part by the stop and on a lower part by the flap; and separating the element.

Claims

1. Device for handling elements, the elements being separated by at least one slit or gap, characterized in that it comprises: a hollow outer shank having a lower end provided with a stop extending outward therefrom perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow outer shank; an interior of the hollow outer shank at least partially housing a rod which is longitudinally movable and rotatable with respect to the hollow outer shank, the lower end of the shank further comprising a mouth through which protrudes a lower end of the rod housed inside the hollow outer shank, the rod comprising a flap at one end, which is substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod, so that a clamp is defined between the stop and the flap for holding an element.

2. Device for handling elements according to claim 1, wherein the clamp is configured and arranged to hold the element proximate one side of the rod.

3. Device for handling elements according to claim 1, wherein the stop is substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hollow outer shank.

4. Device for handling elements according claim 1, wherein the flap is substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod.

5. Device for handling elements according to claim 1, further comprising adjustment means linked to driving means for generating additional holding pressure of the element.

6. Device for handling elements according to claim 5, wherein the adjustment means is a pre-tensioned spring or spindle.

7. Device for handling elements according to claim 5, wherein the adjustment means are a smooth surface, era locking zipper and a releasing system.

8. Device for handling elements according to claim 1, comprising driving and fixing means for the movement of the rod with respect to the hollow outer shank.

9. Device for handling elements according to claim 8, wherein the driving means comprise an oblong slit in the hollow outer shank with a pin in the rod.

10. Method for handling elements, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: placing elements separated by at least one slit or gap on a surface; inserting one end of a rod provided with a flap inside the slit or gap; placing a stop in contact with an upper part of said element; rotating the rod so that the flap is below a lower part of the element, holding the element on its upper part by means of the stop and on its lower part by means of the flap proximate one side of the rod; and separating the element held by the stop and the flap from the surface from another element on the surface.

11. Method for handling elements according to claim 10, wherein the clamp is configured and arranged to hold the element proximate one side of the rod.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To complement the description being made and in order to assist in a better understanding of the features of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of a practical embodiment thereof, there is attached as an integral part of said description a set of drawings in which, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following has been depicted:

(2) FIG. 1.Shows a detailed view of the handling device in use.

(3) FIG. 2.Shows a driving sequence of the handling device on a stack of sheet elements.

(4) FIG. 3.Shows a detail of the driving of the lower flap on the sheet elements.

(5) FIG. 4.Shows an elevation view of an example of driving means of the device.

(6) FIG. 5.Shows a first alternative embodiment of the device.

(7) FIG. 6.Shows views of a second alternative embodiment of the device.

(8) FIGS. 7.1 and 7.2.Show views of a third alternative embodiment of the device.

(9) FIG. 8.Shows the use of the device during the movement of a stack.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(10) Hereinafter, with the aid of the figures referred previously, a detailed explanation of preferred embodiments of the object of the present invention is provided.

(11) First of all, it should be indicated that for reasons of simplicity the description of the present invention is made with reference to a stack of sheet elements. However, the device and the method according to the present invention can also be used to handle any other adjacent elements, separated by a slit or a gap.

(12) The described device for handling stacks of sheet elements allows the grip, suspension, and movement of a stack (1) of sheet elements, from a plurality of consecutive and adjacent stacks (1), separated from each other by respective slits (2) generated by a previous method of multilayer cutting of the stack (1) of sheet elements.

(13) The consecutive stacks (1) are arranged on a surface (3), such as a conveyor belt or the like. In the embodiment shown in the attached figures, the surface (3) is formed by a series of flexible brushes on which the stacks (1) rest, although it could also be foam, carpet, or the like.

(14) The device is configured to be able to access the underside of the lower sheet elements of the stack (1) through the slits (2).

(15) The device comprises a hollow outer shank (4), the interior of which houses a rod (5).

(16) The shank (4) has an upper end (not shown in the figures), through which it is engageable to a robotic arm or similar element, and a lower end, provided with a stop (6), which is preferably perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shank (4). The lower end further comprises a mouth through which protrudes a lower end of the rod (5) housed inside the stem (4), as shown in FIG. 1.

(17) It should be noted that the shank (4) may be fixedly engaged to a robotic arm or be free. In the latter case, the shank (4) has a morphology that allows it to be easily gripped, for example, by means of a magnet, a hook, an eyelet, or the like, either manually or automatically.

(18) The rod (5) can move longitudinally inside the shank (4) and can rotate with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shank (4).

(19) Said rod (5) comprises a flap (7) at its lower end, which is substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod (5). As illustrated in the attached figures, the flap (7) preferably has a geometry which narrows towards its distal end, with respect to the shank (4), and presents rounded edges to facilitate the movement and avoid possible damages to the sheet elements of the stack (1) and to the brushes forming the surface (3).

(20) This flap (7), together with the stop (6), defines a gripping clamp for holding a stack (1) of sheet elements for its handling.

(21) The device also comprises driving means that control the positioning and compression operations of the elements of the device. Among others, the driving means control the rotations and longitudinal movements of the rod (5) inside the shank (4), and therefore the rotations and movements of the flap (7). These driving and rotation means may be, for example, an oblong slit in the shank (4) with a pin in the rod (5), as shown in FIG. 4, slits in the internal axis of the shank, or multiple slits in the shank and balls as bearings to reduce friction. It may also be that the stem (4) and the rod (5) rotate freely with respect to each other, and the rotation and longitudinal movement are fixed manually or with a motor, with anti-backlash bearings or with ratchet systems among many other possible existing angular or linear rotation and fixing systems that may be incorporated into the device.

(22) FIG. 2 illustrates the driving sequence of the device for handling a stack (1a) and separating it from other adjacent stacks (1b) and from the flexible surface (3) on which it rests. As can be seen, the device is placed, by means of a robotic arm or similar, perpendicularly over a slit (2) that separates a stack (1a) to be handled from the adjacent ones.

(23) The robotic arm (not shown) approaches the flap (7) of the device to the slit (2) and the shank (4) moving it until the stop (6) of the device comes into contact with the upper sheet element of the stack (1a) to be handled and of the immediately adjacent stack (1b), so that the flap (7) penetrates through the corresponding slit (2).

(24) As can be seen, for penetration through the slit (2) said flap (7) is arranged parallel to the facing side edges of the stack (1a), and transversal, therefore, to the stop (6).

(25) When the flap (7) is inside the surface (3) and below the lower element of the stack (1a), the driving means rotate the rod (5) and, therefore, said flap (7), so that the latter is arranged perpendicularly with respect to the slit (2) and below the lower sheet element of the stack (1a) and substantially parallel to the stop (6), as shown in the detail of FIG. 2.

(26) This way, the lateral edge of the stack (1a) is gripped at the top by the stop (6) and at the bottom by the flap (7). At this point, the driving means move the rod (5), and thus the flap (7), longitudinally upwards in order to adjust the grip of the edge of the stack (1a).

(27) Subsequently, the robotic arm (not shown) moves the device or devices upwardly, thus lifting the stack (1a) by the gripped edge to separate it from the adjacent stack (1b) and from the surface (3), thus being able to move it to another point.

(28) In the preferred embodiment of the device, the rotation and vertical displacement movements of the rod (5) can be made in a single step by means of an oblong guiding slit along an axis, so that the rotation is performed in a manner similar to a worm screw, as can be seen in FIG. 4.

(29) In an alternative embodiment of the device, it additionally incorporates adjustment means (8), linked to the driving means and comprising quick locking and unlocking elements, for generating additional pressure to assist in holding the stack (1).

(30) FIG. 5 shows views of a first alternative embodiment, in which the adjustment means (8) consist of a pre-tensioned spring which can be actuated by the robotic head to which the device is attached or a spindle which is also driven. Said robotic head presses the spring of the adjustment means (8) or moves through the spindle (8) and separates the flap (7) from the stop (6) before positioning the device on a slit (2).

(31) FIG. 6 illustrates a view of a second alternative embodiment, in which the adjustment means (8) consist of a smooth surface, locking zipper and releasing system.

(32) FIGS. 7.1 and 7.2 illustrate alternative embodiments of the device. FIG. 7.1 shows a plan view of a device comprising two rods (5) and two corresponding rotating flaps (7) to improve the grip and stability of the gripped stack (1).

(33) FIG. 7.2 shows a plan view of a device in which the arm (6) has two sectors of different morphologies to contribute to an optimal gripping of the stack (1).

(34) Finally, FIG. 8 shows the use of the device during the transport of a stack (1).

(35) Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the device and method described are susceptible of numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned may be replaced by other technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.