Vacuum flow suction cup assembly

A picking device comprising:

• A) a vacuum plenum fed by a vacuum inlet;
• B) a plurality of plenum apertures in said vacuum plenum;
• and
• C) in said plenum apertures, contact activated vacuum assisted suction cup assemblies comprising:
• i) a cylindrical bellowed or corrugated cup defining a plurality of interconnected bellows or corrugations of alternating, coaxial large and small diameter areas, said bellowed cup comprising;
• a) an open contact end;
• and
• b) a valve end including a valve seat and a peripheral flange for engagement with said plenum apertures;
• iv) a centrally located valve stem having first and second extremities;
• v) a valve plate intermediate said open contact end and said valve end in one of said large diameter areas attached to said first extremity;
• and
• iv) a valve stop attached to said valve stem at said second extremity said valve stop being of a size to engage said valve seat and further including a relatively small aperture in said valve stop for the admission of a slight vacuum into said cylindrical bellowed or corrugated cup.

A contact activated vacuum assisted suction cup assembly comprising:

• 1) a cylindrical bellowed or corrugated cup defining a plurality of interconnected bellows or corrugations of alternating, coaxial large and small diameter areas, said bellowed cup having;
• A) an open contact end;
• and
• B) a valve end including a valve seat;
• 2) a centrally located valve stem having first and second extremities;
• 3) a valve plate intermediate said open contact end and said valve end in one of said large diameter areas attached to said first extremity includes apertures therein for the passage of a vacuum;
• and
• 4) a valve stop including a central threaded aperture, said valve stem being threaded and said valve stop being threaded onto said valve stem at said second extremity, said valve stop being of a size to engage said valve seat.

A picking device comprising:

• A) a vacuum plenum fed by a vacuum inlet;
• B) a plurality of plenum apertures in said vacuum plenum;
• and
• C) in said plenum apertures, contact activated vacuum assisted suction cup assemblies comprising:
• i) a cylindrical bellowed or corrugated cup defining a plurality of interconnected bellows or corrugations of alternating, coaxial large and small diameter areas, said bellowed cup comprising;
• ii) an open contact end;
• and
• iii) a valve end including a valve seat and a peripheral flange for engagement with said plenum apertures;
• ii) a centrally located valve stem having first and second extremities;
• iii) a valve plate intermediate said open contact end and said valve end in one of said large diameter areas attached to said first extremity and including apertures therein for the passage of a vacuum;
• and
• iv) a valve stop including a central threaded aperture, said valve stem being threaded and said valve stop being threaded onto said valve stem at said second extremity, said valve stop being of a size to engage said valve seat.