# US 9,517,616 B2 · Lifting sucker with pneumatically controllable suction cup and punch and sheet-fed rotary printing press having the lifting sucker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,616 B2 - Document ID: US9517616B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/628,441 - Filed: 2015-02-23 - Published: 2015-08-27 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-21 - Assignees: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG - Applicants: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG - Inventors: Andreas Mueller; Jochen Renner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517616B2 ## CPC - B41F 21/06: Suction-operated grippers - B65H 3/0808: {Suction grippers} - B65H 3/0883: {Construction of suction grippers or their holding devices} - B65H 37/00: Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating devices for performing specified auxiliary operations (incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00) - B65H 2406/332: Details on suction openings - B65H 2406/343: Details of sucking member - B65H 2801/21: Industrial-size printers, e.g. rotary printing press - B41F: PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES (manifolding devices or office printing machines B41L) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A lifting sucker for separating sheets from a sheet stack includes a suction cup formed as a double-walled bellows sucker having at least one suction chamber that can be acted on pneumatically to contract the bellows sucker. A punch and a sheet-fed rotary printing press having the lifting sucker are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lifting sucker for separating a sheet from a sheet stack, the lifting sucker comprising: a suction cup formed of flexible material and having a suction opening formed therein; and a double-walled bellows defining said suction cup and enclosing said suction opening, said bellows having a mounting end, said bellows having an inner wall with an inner wall distal end opposite said mounting end and an outer wall with an outer wall distal end opposite said mounting end, said bellows having a ring-shaped end wall connected between said inner wall distal end and said outer wall distal end for defining at least one suction chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lifting sucker according to claim 1, which further comprises a non-return valve connected to said at least one suction chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A punch, comprising a lifting sucker according to claim 1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A sheet-fed rotary printing press, comprising a lifting sucker according to claim 1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lifting sucker according to claim 1, further comprising a support plate having said mounting end disposed thereon, said support plate having a connecting bore formed therein within a periphery of said suction opening for supplying suction to said suction opening. ### Claim 6 A lifting sucker for separating a sheet from a sheet stack, the lifting sucker comprising: a suction cup formed of flexible material and having a suction opening formed therein; and a double-walled bellows defining said suction cup and enclosing said suction opening, said bellows having a mounting end and a distal end for engaging the sheet, said bellows having an inner wall and an outer wall, said bellows having a ring-shaped end wall at said distal end, said ring-shaped end wall connecting said inner wall with said outer for defining at least one suction chamber, said ring-shaped end wall having at least one additional suction opening formed therein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lifting sucker according to claim 6, which further comprises a non-return valve connected to said at least one suction chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A punch, comprising a lifting sucker according to claim 6. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A sheet-fed rotary printing press, comprising a lifting sucker according to claim 6. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The lifting sucker according to claim 6, further comprising a support plate having said mounting end disposed thereon, said support plate having a connecting bore formed therein within a periphery of said suction opening for supplying suction to said suction opening. ### Claim 11 A lifting sucker for separating a sheet from a sheet stack, the lifting sucker comprising: a suction cup formed of flexible material and having a suction opening formed therein; and a double-walled bellows defining said suction cup and coaxially enclosing said suction opening, said bellows being divided into at least one closed suction chamber and into a plurality of suction chambers with additional suction openings formed therein. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The lifting sucker according to claim 11, which further comprises a rotary valve, said at least one closed suction chamber including a plurality of closed suction chambers alternating with said plurality of suction chambers coaxially around said suction opening and having suction air applied successively thereto in common from said rotary valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The lifting sucker according to claim 11, wherein said at least one closed suction chamber includes a plurality of closed suction chambers alternating with said suction chambers coaxially around said suction opening and being configured to have suction air applied jointly thereto. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The lifting sucker according to claim 11, which further comprises a non-return valve connected to said plurality of suction chambers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A punch, comprising a lifting sucker according to claim 11. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A sheet-fed rotary printing press, comprising a lifting sucker according to claim 11. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The lifting sucker according to claim 11, wherein said bellows have ends walls defining said at least one closed suction chamber and defining said plurality of suction chambers with additional suction openings formed therein having said additional suction opening formed in said end walls. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The lifting sucker according to claim 11, further comprising a support plate mounting said bellows, said support plate having a connecting bore formed therein within a periphery of said suction opening for supplying suction to said suction opening.