# US 8,783,634 B2 · Suction device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,634 B2 - Document ID: US8783634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/632,579 - Filed: 2012-10-01 - Published: 2013-07-04 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-30 - Applicants: Adam P. Summers; Stanislav Gorb - Inventors: Adam P. Summers; Stanislav Gorb - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783634B2 ## CPC - F16B 47/00: Suction cups for attaching purposes; Equivalent means using adhesives {(devices using adhesives, suction or magnetism for hanging or supporting pictures or the like A47G1/17; vacuum work holders B25B11/005; anchoring of ships using suction B63B21/27; suction cups for handling glass B65G49/061; load-engaging elements for cranes using suction means B66C1/02)} - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A suction device having the ability to adhere to rough surfaces is provided, along with methods for attaching the suction device to a target surface. The suction device includes a body having a suction area and a plurality of micro-rods depending from margins of the suction area. The micro-rods provide sufficient friction when placed against a target surface that a suction seal can be formed by generating negative pressure between the suction area and the target surface. In certain embodiments, the suction device provides suction even on wet or underwater surfaces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A suction device having the ability to adhere to a rough surface, comprising: a body formed from a polymer and having a suction area defined by one or more margins configured to rest in close apposition with a target surface, wherein the suction area is flexible and configured to create a suction seal against the target surface with negative pressure between the suction area and the target surface; and a plurality of elongated micro-rods depending from the one or more margins, wherein each of the plurality of elongated micro-rods is less than 1000 microns in diameter, the plurality of micro-rods have a packing density such that the one or more margins are predominantly bounded with micro-rods, wherein the size, composition, and packing density of the micro-rods provide sufficient friction between the micro-rods and the target surface to maintain the suction seal between the suction area and the target surface; wherein the body of the suction device and the plurality of micro-rods are configured to adhere to the target surface through a combination of suction generated by the negative pressure between the suction area and the target surface and friction generated between the plurality of micro-rods and the target surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the suction device is configured to reversibly adhere to the target surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the target surface is underwater and wherein the suction device is configured to adhere to the target surface underwater. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of elongated micro-rods has a diameter of less than one micron and an aspect ratio of 10 or more. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of elongated micro-rods has a lateral cross-section shape independently selected from the group consisting of a circle, an ellipse, and a polygon. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of elongated micro-rods are apically attached to the distal end of a hierarchical structure that includes elongated intermediate rods in between the margins of the suction area and the micro-rods, wherein the intermediate rods have a diameter at least two orders of magnitude greater than the diameter of the micro-rods. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The suction device of claim 6, wherein the intermediate rods and the micro-rods are formed from the same material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the suction area and the micro-rods are formed from the same material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the negative pressure is generated by elastic restoration of the suction area after the suction area is compressed towards the target surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the negative pressure is generated by applying a vacuum to the suction area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the rods terminate in a shape selected from the group consisting of a flat surface, a point, a hemisphere, and a hemiellipsoid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of micro-rods have a packing density such that the one or more margins are continuously bounded with micro-rods. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method for attaching the suction device according to claim 1 to a target surface, the method comprising: placing the suction area in close apposition with the target surface; and generating negative pressure between the suction area and the target surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the target surface is in water and has a surface roughness of up to 1000 microns. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein generating negative pressure between the suction area and the target surface comprises applying pressure to the suction device in the direction of the target surface that results in an elastic restoration of the suction area. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein generating negative pressure between the suction area and the target surface comprises applying a vacuum to the suction area. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The suction device of claim 1, wherein the micro-rods are grouped together in one or more friction pads. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The suction device of claim 17, wherein the one or more friction pads are configured to provide channels between the one or more friction pads.