US 5,207,553 AGranted

Suction lifting device for flat workpieces

OwnerHaruo Konagaiinventor

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Abstract

A suction lifting head for use in the lifting and transport of generally flat workpieces is designed to conform to its use with workpieces varying in size and produce activation of such suction ports therein as necessary to perform the lifting of the workpiece. The lifting head is constructed with a body having an outer suction port(s) at a surface of the body, a valve chamber(s) connected to the outer suction port and intervening an inner suction port which in turn is in communication with a vacuum main connection at a side of the body remote from the surface having the outer suction port(s). A valve disk with multiple holes for air flow is located inside the valve chamber. These holes are located in the valve disk to be positioned radially beyond the circumference of the outer suction port and such that circumferential portions of the valve disk will be supported on a stepped section in the valve chamber when a workpiece is lifted against the outer suction port. In such condition, holding influence of the vacuum is sustained because a communication path from the outer suction port to the inner suction port includes the holes in the valve disk which have at least portions extending radially inwardly of the valve chamber stepped section support structure.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A device for suction lifting and holding flat workpieces, the device comprising

a body defining a lifting head, the lifting head having a suction face including at least one outer suction port at said suction face, said lifting head further having
at least one inner suction port and a valve chamber intervening said at least one inner and outer suction ports and communicatively connected therewith, the valve chamber including a valve seat proximal the at least one inner suction port,
a port at a body part remote from said suction face for connecting the lifting head with a source of vacuum, said connecting port being in communication with said at least one inner suction port for establishing vacuum condition at said one inner suction port, and
a valve disk in said valve chamber, said valve disk having multiple through holes therein at a circumferential region thereof, said valve disk being sized such and the through holes such positioned therein as to lie outside a circumferential expanse of said at least one outer suction port, said valve disk being drawn against said valve seat by a differential of pressure represented by the vacuum condition at said at least one inner port present at one valve disk face, and a communication of said at least one outer suction port with ambient atmosphere present at an opposite valve disk face, said valve chamber having
stepped structure therein proximal said at least one outer suction port, said valve disk moving to a position wherein its circumferential region is supported on said stepped structure with at least portions of the through holes unobstructed by such stepped structure whenever a workpiece is in contact with the suction face and covers said at least one outer suction port to exclude communication thereof with ambient atmosphere, the condition of vacuum present at said one valve disk face communicating to the opposite valve disk face by way of the disk hole unobstructed portions so that with the said at least one outer suction port covered, workpiece holding condition of vacuum is sustained at said one outer suction port.

2 more elements

A device for suction lifting and holding flat workpieces, the device comprising

plural bodies each defining a lifting head, each lifting head having a suction face including at least one outer suction port at said suction face, each said lifting head further having
at least one inner suction port and a valve chamber intervening said at least one inner and outer suction ports and communicatively connected therewith, the valve chamber including a valve seat proximal the at least one inner suction port,
a port in each body at a body part remote from its suction face for connecting the lifting head with a source of vacuum, said connecting port being in communication with said at least one inner suction port for establishing vacuum condition at said one inner suction port,
a valve disk in said valve chamber, said valve disk having multiple through holes therein at a circumferential region thereof, said valve disk being sized such and the through holes such positioned therein as to lie outside a circumferential expanse of said at least one outer suction port, said valve disk being drawn against said valve seat by a differential of pressure represented by the vacuum condition at said at least one inner port present at one valve disk face, and a communication of said at least one outer suction port with ambient atmosphere present at an opposite valve disk face, said valve chamber having
stepped structure therein proximal said at least one outer suction port, said valve disk moving to a position wherein its circumferential region is supported on said stepped structure with at least portions of the through holes unobstructed by such stepped structure whenever a workpiece is in contact with the suction face and covers said at least one outer suction port to exclude communication thereof with ambient atmosphere, the condition of vacuum present at said one valve disk face communicating to the opposite valve disk face by way of the disk hole unobstructed portions so that with the said at least one outer suction port covered, workpiece holding condition of vacuum is sustained at said one outer suction port,
a carrier, each of said lifting heads being fixed to said carrier, and
means for moving said carrier in three-dimensional movement paths during workpiece lifting and holding operations.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.