Suction device for retaining and/or transporting objects of different formats

An apparatus for thermoforming containers comprising a suction device (1) for retaining and/or transporting objects which comprises:

• a main supporting body (2);
• at least one operating plate (3) mounted on the main supporting body (2), the at least one operating plate (3) having an operating surface (6), and in which a plurality of suction holes (7) is positioned;
• and
• suction means in fluid connection with said plurality of suction holes (7) for sucking air through said plurality of suction holes (7);
• wherein:
• the at least one operating plate (3) is removably coupled to the main supporting body (2);
• the main supporting body (2) has at least one first connecting face (4);
• and
• the at least one operating plate (3) has a second connecting face (5) placed on the opposite side to the operating surface (6) and which is coupled to the at least one first connecting face (4) when the at least one operating plate (3) is coupled to the main supporting body (2);
• the suction device further comprises one or more magnets (13) and one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14), each of the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) being magnetically coupled to one or more of the one or more magnets (13) when the at least one operating plate (3) is coupled to the main supporting body (2) for keeping the at least one operating plate (3) fastened to the main supporting body (2), one between the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) magnetically coupled to each other being constrained to the at least one operating plate (3), the other between the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) magnetically coupled to each other being constrained to the main supporting body (2);
• the suction device further comprises one or more fastening guides (20) and one or more fastening elements (21), each of the one or more fastening elements (21) being couplable to one of the one or more fastening guides (20) during the coupling of the at least one operating plate (3) to the main supporting body (2), one between the one or more fastening elements (21) and the one or more fastening guides (20) which are couplable to each other, being fixed to the at least one operating plate (3) and the other between the one or more fastening elements (21) and the one or more fastening guides (20) which are couplable to each other being fixed to the main supporting body (2);
• each of the one or more fastening guides (20) is shaped in such a way as to guide, by the interaction with a corresponding one of the one or more fastening elements (21), a shifting of the at least one operating plate (3) relative to the main supporting body (2) along a coupling trajectory which extends between a coupling start position, in which the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) are magnetically uncoupled, and a coupling completion position, in which the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) are magnetically coupled;
• and
• said coupling trajectory has a main component of extension which lies in a plane perpendicular to a reference line that, with the at least one operating plate (3) coupled to the main supporting body (2), corresponds to a line along which a central point of each one of the one or more magnets (13) is at a minimum distance from the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) coupled to said one of the one or more magnets.

An apparatus for sealing containers comprising a suction device (1) for retaining and/or transporting objects which comprises:

• a main supporting body (2);
• at least one operating plate (3) mounted on the main supporting body (2), the at least one operating plate (3) having an operating surface (6), and in which a plurality of suction holes (7) is positioned;
• and
• suction means in fluid connection with said plurality of suction holes (7) for sucking air through said plurality of suction holes (7);
• wherein:
• the at least one operating plate (3) is removably coupled to the main supporting body (2);
• the main supporting body (2) has at least one first connecting face (4);
• and
• the at least one operating plate (3) has a second connecting face (5) placed on the opposite side to the operating surface (6) and which is coupled to the at least one first connecting face (4) when the at least one operating plate (3) is coupled to the main supporting body (2);
• the suction device further comprises one or more magnets (13) and one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14), each of the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) being magnetically coupled to one or more of the one or more magnets (13) when the at least one operating plate (3) is coupled to the main supporting body (2) for keeping the at least one operating plate (3) fastened to the main supporting body (2), one between the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) magnetically coupled to each other being constrained to the at least one operating plate (3), the other between the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) magnetically coupled to each other being constrained to the main supporting body (2);
• the suction device further comprises one or more fastening guides (20) and one or more fastening elements (21), each of the one or more fastening elements (21) being couplable to one of the one or more fastening guides (20) during the coupling of the at least one operating plate (3) to the main supporting body (2), one between the one or more fastening elements (21) and the one or more fastening guides (20) which are couplable to each other, being fixed to the at least one operating plate (3) and the other between the one or more fastening elements (21) and the one or more fastening guides (20) which are couplable to each other being fixed to the main supporting body (2);
• each of the one or more fastening guides (20) is shaped in such a way as to guide, by the interaction with a corresponding one of the one or more fastening elements (21), a shifting of the at least one operating plate (3) relative to the main supporting body (2) along a coupling trajectory which extends between a coupling start position, in which the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) are magnetically uncoupled, and a coupling completion position, in which the one or more magnets (13) and the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) are magnetically coupled;
• and
• said coupling trajectory has a main component of extension which lies in a plane perpendicular to a reference line that, with the at least one operating plate (3) coupled to the main supporting body (2), corresponds to a line along which a central point of each one of the one or more magnets (13) is at a minimum distance from the one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14) coupled to said one of the one or more magnets.