Gripping device for manipulating flexible elements

#The present invention is encompassed in the technical field of the devices used as end effectors in industrial robots, and is particularly applicable in the manufacture of materials or parts molded from a preform formed from a plurality of flexible fabrics.

#A technique commonly used in the manufacture of composites starts from a preform formed by several fabric layers comprising reinforcement fibers (carbon fibers, glass fibers, etc.). These fabrics or layers which are placed on a forming mold gradually bond to one another by means of a binder which is applied at determined points, and then the mold is closed, which will provide the preform with the end shape by means of applying heat and pressure during a determined time period.

#The different fabric layers are of flexible fabrics with patterns with a two-dimensional geometry, i.e., they have the shape and size suitable for the composite part to be obtained. In industrial practice, the two-dimensional fabric layers are typically placed manually on the mold because it is necessary to correctly place them and gradually fix them to one another.

#Aspects and embodiments of the invention are described below based on drawings in which

#FIG. 1 is an upper plan schematic view of an embodiment of the invention in which the gripping device comprises nine suction cups;

#FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view from the front part of an embodiment of the gripping device with nine suction cups;

#Reference numbers identifying the following elements are shown in these figures: 1 left end front suction cup 1a holding block 1b vertical operation 1c drive motor 1d front transverse runner 1e transverse operation 1f drive motor 2 intermediate front suction cup 2a holding block 2b vertical operation 2c drive motor 2d fixing device 2e fixing flat bar 3 right end front suction cup 3a holding block 3b vertical operation 3c drive motor 3d front transverse runner 3e transverse operation 3f drive motor 4 left side intermediate suction cups 4a holding block 4b vertical operation 4c drive motor 4d guiding block 4e transverse operation 4f transverse guide profile 4g drive motor 5 central multiposition suction cup 5a holding block 5b vertical operating mechanism 5c drive motor 5d vertical support 6 intermediate right side suction cup 6a holding block 6b vertical operation 6c drive motor 6d guiding block 6e transverse operation 6f transverse guide profile 6g drive motor 7 left end rear suction cup 7a holding block 7b vertical operation 7c drive motor 7d rear transverse runner 7e transverse operation 7f drive motor 8 intermediate rear suction cup 8a holding block 8b vertical operation 8c drive motor 8d fixing device 8e fixing flat bar 9 right end rear suction cup 9a holding block 9b vertical operation 9c drive motor 9d rear transverse runner 9e transverse operation 9f drive motor 10 flexible fabric 11 three-dimensional forming mold 12 applicator module 12a automatic rotating actuator 12b operating actuator 13 computer vision module 13a, 13b cameras 13c, 13d illumination lamps 14 left side frame 14a left lower stringer 14b left upper stringer 14c left front post 14d left rear post 15 right side frame 15a right lower stringer 15b right upper stringer 15c right front post 15d right rear post 16 transverse guiding system 17 front upper end cross-piece 18 rear upper end cross-piece 19 intermediate upper cross-piece 20 intermediate upper cross-piece 21 coupling sheet 22 first mobile cross-piece 23 second mobile cross-piece 24 front lower end cross-piece 25 rear lower end cross-piece 26 first left upper runner 27 first right upper runner 28 second left upper runner 28a drive motor 28b operating screw 29 second right upper runner 29a drive motor 29b operating screw 30 left front cross-bar 31 left front longitudinal bar 32 right front cross-bar 33 right front longitudinal bar 34 left rear cross-bar 35 left rear longitudinal bar 36 right rear cross-bar 37 right rear longitudinal bar 38 drive motor 39 left longitudinal operating carriage 39a lower vertical extension 40 right longitudinal operating carriage 40a lower vertical extension 41 left longitudinal guiding bar 42 right longitudinal guiding bar 43a first left coupling body 43b first right coupling body 44a second left coupling body 44b second right coupling body 45a, 45b drive motor

#In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the gripping device comprises nine holding elements in the form of suction cups -1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9- for holding a flexible fabric -10- which the device captures with a two-dimensional geometry (FIGS. 1, 3, 5) and places in a three-dimensional forming mold -11- (FIG. 4, 6).

#The suction cups -1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9- are arranged according to a 3×3 matrix connected to a conventional vacuum system, and have relative movement with respect to one another in planes corresponding to the coordinates X, Y and Z, corresponding respectively to the longitudinal direction -X-, the transverse direction -Y- with respect to the three-dimensional mold -11- in which the flexible fabric -10- is placed, and in the vertical direction -Z-, perpendicular to planes -X- and -Y-.