# US 10,479,620 B2 · Destacking device and method for destacking metal sheets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,620 B2 - Document ID: US10479620B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/652,691 - Filed: 2013-11-29 - Published: 2015-12-17 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-17 - Assignees: Soudronic AG - Applicants: Soudronic AG - Inventors: Peter Taiana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479620B2 ## CPC - B65G 59/062: {by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms} - B21D 43/22: Devices for piling sheets - B21D 43/24: Devices for removing sheets from a stack - B65G 57/03: from above - B65H 1/06: for separation from bottom of pile - B65H 1/30: with means for replenishing the pile during continuous separation of articles therefrom {(B65H1/22 takes precedence)} - B65H 3/085: {separating from the bottom of pile} - B65H 3/0883: {Construction of suction grippers or their holding devices} - B65H 3/34: Article-retaining devices controlling the release of the articles to the separators - B65H 3/48: Air blast acting on edges of, or under, articles - B65G 2201/022: Flat - B65G 2814/0305: Adding to the top - B65G 2814/0308: Destacking devices - B65H 2403/532: Crank-and-rocker mechanism - B65H 2701/173: Metal - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract In a destacking device comprising a stacking magazine (2), the respective lowest sheet of a stack (1) of metal sheets is destacked by way of a suction element (5, 15). This element can be moved upward and downward by way of a drive (6). At the end of the upward movement, the respective lowest metal sheet (4) of the stack (1) is gripped by suction power and pulled from the stack. A second suction element (5′, 15′) is provided, which can be moved upward and downward by way of a drive (6′) and by way of which the lowest sheet (4) of the stack (1) can be gripped at the end of the upward movement. The second suction element is driven so as to be leading with respect to the first suction element, so that the respective lowest sheet (4) of the stack (1) can first be pulled from the stack by the second suction element (5′), and subsequently by the first suction element (5). In this way, it becomes possible to destack thin sheets having a thickness of only 0.12 mm and a square shape without disruption. The stack is held magnetically in the stacking magazine, which facilitates destacking. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A destacking device, comprising a stacking magazine that is open on the bottom side and has holding means for a stack of metal sheets, and a pull-off device that is disposed beneath the stacking magazine and has a first suction element, which is driven in upward and downward movement, and in a reversal position thereof from the upward movement to the downward movement is positioned within the lower opening of the stacking magazine for gripping the respective lowest sheet of a stack of sheets by way of negative pressure and pulling the gripped sheet from the stack, characterized in that the pull-off device comprises an additional suction element which is driven in upward and downward movement so as to be leading in movement with respect to the first suction element, the lower opening of the stacking magazine is unobstructed by physical supports, and the holding means is implemented exclusively with magnets so that the stack can be held in the stacking magazine strictly magnetically, and the magnets are disposed on at least two opposing sides of the stacking magazine. ### Claim 2 A destacking device, comprising a stacking magazine that is open on the bottom side and has holding means for a stack of metal sheets, and a pull-off device that is disposed beneath the stacking magazine and has a first suction element which is driven in upward and downward movement, and in a reversal position thereof from the upward movement to the downward movement is positioned within the lower opening of the stacking magazine for gripping the respective lowest sheet of a stack of sheets by way of negative pressure and pulling the gripped sheet from the stack, characterized in that the pull-off device comprises an additional suction element, which is driven in upward and downward movement so as to be leading in movement with respect to the first suction element, and the holding means is implemented exclusively by magnets disposed on at least two opposing sides of the stacking magazine, so that the stack can be held in the stacking magazine strictly magnetically. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The destacking device according to claim 2, characterized in that the additional suction element is disposed such that it is positioned in the edge region of the lower opening of the stacking magazine when being in the reversal position of the element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The destacking device according to claim 2, characterized in that the additional suction element comprises at least one suction cup, which is positioned in one corner of the edge region, or that the additional suction element comprises two suction cups, which are each positioned in a corner of the edge region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The destacking device according to claim 2 characterized in that the additional suction element leads with a phase angle of approximately 90 degrees out-of-phase with a phase angle of the suction element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The destacking device according to claim 2 characterized in that the holding means comprise magnets which are disposed on four sides of the stacking magazine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A destacking device according to claim 2 characterized in that the holding means is formed by rod-shaped permanent magnets, the longitudinal axis of which is disposed vertically. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) A system, comprising a destacking device according to claim 2, a rounding device, and a welding machine for producing can bodies. ### Claim 9 A method for destacking individual metal sheets from the bottom side of a sheet stack by gripping the respective lowest sheet by way of a first negative pressure suction element, which pulls the gripped metal sheet from the stack and deposits the same on a placement area, the stack being held in a stacking magazine that has an opening on the bottom side and has holding means, characterized in that the respective lowest sheet is partially detached from the stack by an additional suction element before being pulled off by the first suction element, the opening at the bottom of the stacking magazine is unobstructed, and the stack is held in the stacking magazine exclusively by magnetic holding means in the form of magnets. ### Claim 10 A method for destacking individual metal sheets from the bottom side of a sheet stack by gripping the respective lowest sheet by way of a first negative pressure suction element, which pulls the gripped metal sheet from the stack and deposits the same on a placement area, the stack being held in a stacking magazine that is open on the bottom side and has holding means, characterized in that the respective lowest sheet is partially detached from the stack by an additional suction element before being pulled off by the first suction element, and the stack is held in the stacking magazine exclusively by magnetic holding means in the form of magnets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the second suction element grips the lowest metal sheet in an edge region of the lowest sheet, or that the second suction element grips the lowest sheet in at least one corner of the sheet or in two corners of the sheet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the additional suction element is driven with a phase angle of approximately 90 degrees out-of-phase with a phase angle of the suction element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the magnetic holding means acts on the stack from four sides of the stack. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A method for producing can bodies, in which metal sheets are destacked according to methods according to claim 10, fed to a rounding device, and subsequently are welded together at the longitudinal seam in a roll seam welding machine.