NL2024887B1 - Apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object - Google Patents
Apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NL2024887B1 NL2024887B1 NL2024887A NL2024887A NL2024887B1 NL 2024887 B1 NL2024887 B1 NL 2024887B1 NL 2024887 A NL2024887 A NL 2024887A NL 2024887 A NL2024887 A NL 2024887A NL 2024887 B1 NL2024887 B1 NL 2024887B1
- Authority
- NL
- Netherlands
- Prior art keywords
- channel
- mouthpiece
- cavity
- liquid
- venturi
- Prior art date
Links
- 230000009975 flexible effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 14
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 14
- 230000004087 circulation Effects 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 abstract description 34
- 108091006146 Channels Proteins 0.000 description 46
- 241000251468 Actinopterygii Species 0.000 description 4
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000875 corresponding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
- B25J15/00—Gripping heads and other end effectors
- B25J15/06—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means
- B25J15/0616—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means with vacuum
- B25J15/0675—Gripping heads and other end effectors with vacuum or magnetic holding means with vacuum of the ejector type
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
- B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
- B65G47/91—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
- B65G47/918—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers with at least two picking-up heads
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
- B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
- B66C1/02—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by suction means
- B66C1/0256—Operating and control devices
- B66C1/0268—Venturi effect
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04F—PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED; SIPHONS
- F04F5/00—Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow
- F04F5/02—Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow the inducing fluid being liquid
- F04F5/04—Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow the inducing fluid being liquid displacing elastic fluids
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04F—PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED; SIPHONS
- F04F5/00—Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow
- F04F5/44—Component parts, details, or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04F5/02 - F04F5/42
- F04F5/48—Control
- F04F5/52—Control of evacuating pumps
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Robotics (AREA)
- Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
Abstract
Apparatus (1) suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object, comprising an engagement part (2) 5 to engage with and hold the object, which engagement part (2) is arranged to subsequently, after said engagement, release the object at a predetermined time or location, wherein the engagement part (2) comprises a mouthpiece (3) which defines a cavity, which mouthpiece (3) is connected to a channel (4) 10 that connects to said cavity for transferring air or fluid, wherein the channel connects to a transportation drive part (5) for transfer of the air or fluid in the channel (4), and which mouthpiece (3) is provided with an opening enabling passing of air or fluid into and out of the cavity of the 15 mouthpiece (3). The transportation drive part (5) comprises a venturi (6). The venturi (6) comprises a main through going channel (7) and an input (8) for a secondary channel (9), wherein the channel (4) that connects to the cavity of the mouthpiece (3) is further connected to the input (8) of the 20 venturi (6) for the secondary channel (9).
Description
Apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object The invention relates to an apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object, compris- ing an engagement part to engage with and hold the object, which engagement part is arranged to subsequently, after said engagement, release the object at a predetermined time or lo- cation.
Picking and placing apparatuses are known. Such appa- ratuses are for instance applied in the automotive industry for handling components that are used in the manufacturing of cars. The components are rigid.
There are also efforts to apply picking and placing apparatuses in the food industry, however problems that occur are particularly prominent when the object to be picked up and placed elsewhere is flexible. A notable example is for in- stance that picking and placing of freshly caught fish meets problems that up today have proven to be unsurmountable.
The invention has as an object to provide an appa- ratus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexi- ble object in a reliable manner, without compromising the speed of handling and avoiding intensive maintenance of the apparatus.
The apparatus proposed according to the invention has the features of one or more of the appended claims.
In a first aspect of the invention the apparatus has the feature that the engagement part comprises a mouthpiece which defines a cavity, which mouthpiece is connected to a channel that connects to said cavity for transferring air or fluid, wherein the channel connects to a transportation drive part for transfer of the air or fluid in the channel, and which mouthpiece is provided with an opening enabling passing of air or fluid into and out of the cavity of the mouthpiece.
The mouthpiece can be attuned to the properties of the flexi- ble object to make handling of this object reliable and effec- tive.
In another aspect of the invention the transportation drive part of the apparatus comprises a venturi. Using a ven-
- 2 = turi in the transportation drive part has several advantages which will become apparent from the following disclosure. It is known that a venturi comprises a main through going channel and an input for a secondary channel. In a fur- ther aspect of the invention the channel that connects to the cavity of the mouthpiece is also connected to the input of the venturi for the secondary channel. When through the main chan- nel of the venturi of flow of fluid passes, this causes a rel- ative vacuum at the input for the secondary channel. This rel- ative vacuum is then also realized in the cavity of the mouth- piece through the channel that connects the input of the ven- turi to this cavity. When the mouthpiece engages the object, this vacuum then provides the force with which the flexible object can be held fixed against the mouthpiece.
For an effective operation of the apparatus the main through going channel of the venturi is part of a closed loop tubing system for transportation of fluid.
Preferably the closed loop tubing system comprises a pump.
It is also preferable that the closed loop tubing system further comprises a collector for fluid. This makes it easy to entertain a continucus flow through the closed loop tubing system, at least in part of the closed loop tubing sys- tem.
It is further desirable that the closed loop tubing system comprises a valve for selectively interrupting the cir- culation of fluid in at least part of the closed loop tubing system, so as to cause expelling of liquid via the channel that connects to the cavity of the mouthpiece, which then sup- ports the release of the object. This has the further ad- vantage that the back flowing fluid that leaves the cavity of the mouthpiece washes out any contamination that may have en- tered the cavity during the suction stage for holding the flexible object against the mouthpiece. This is particularly desirable when the flexible object is a fish, wherein parti- cles of the skin of the fish may enter the cavity.
Desirably there are plural mouthpieces, each mouth- piece connected to a dedicated channel that connects to said cavity for transferring air or fluid, wherein the said channel
- 3 = of each mouthpiece connects to the transportation drive part for transfer of air or fluid in said channel, and wherein each mouthpiece is provided with an opening enabling passing of air or fluid into and out of the cavity of such mouthpiece.
It is further preferable that the dedicated channels of the mouthpieces connect to a manifold which is connected to the input of the venturi for the secondary channel. This avoids the need to use plural venturi’s, so that one venturi can suffice in the transportation drive part.
Preferably the mouthpieces are supported by a frame, wherein level compensators are embodied. The level compensa- tors are effective for handling flexible objects with differ- ent height or thickness dimensions measured at different points along their surface.
The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims.
In the drawing: — figure 1 shows an isometric view of an apparatus accord- ing to the invention; — figures 2 and 3 show the apparatus of figure 1 in differ- ent side views; — figure 4 shows a schematic drawing of the apparatus of figures 1-3 during a suction phase for holding an object; and — figure 5 shows a schematic drawing of the apparatus of figures 1-3 in a release phase.
Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.
Figure 1 provides an isometric view of an apparatus 1 according to the invention which is suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object, such as a fish (not shown) .
The apparatus 1 of the invention comprises an engage- ment part 2 to engage with and hold the (not shown) object, which engagement part 2 is arranged to subsequently, after sald engagement, release the object at a pre-determined time or location.
- 4 - In the shown embodiment the engagement part 2 has plural mouthpieces 3. Each mouthpiece 3 defines a cavity with- in the mouthpiece 3, and each mouthpiece 3 is connected to a channel 4 that connects to said cavity for transporting air or fluid. Each of the channels 4 is further connected to a trans- portation drive part 5 for transfer of the air or fluid in and through the channels 4, and each mouthpiece 3 is provided with an opening (not shown) at the underside of the mouthpieces 3 enabling passing of air or fluid into and out of the cavity of the mouthpiece 3.
Figures 1-3 show that the transportation drive part 5 comprises a venturi 6. Particularly figures 1 and 2 show clearly that the venturi 6 comprises a main through going channel 7 and an input 8 for a secondary channel 9 of the ven- turi 6. Each channel 4 that connects to the cavity of a corre- sponding mouthpiece 3 is further connected to said input 8 of the venturi 6 for its secondary channel 9.
Preferably the dedicated channels 4 of the mouthpiec- es 3 connect to a manifold 12 which is connected to the input 8 of the venturi © for the venturi’s secondary channel 9.
The mouthpieces 3 are supported by a frame 13, where- in level compensators 14 are embodied.
Making now reference to the schematic drawings of figures 4 and 5, it is shown that the main through going chan- nel 7 of the venturi 6 is part of a closed loop tubing system 8 for transportation of fluid.
It further shows that the closed loop tubing system 8 comprises a pump 9, and that the closed loop tubing system 8 further comprises a collector 10 for fluid.
The closed loop tubing system 8 is arranged to con- tinuously entertain circulation of fluid in at least part of the closed loop tubing system 8. Because this continuously flowing fluid flows through the main through going channel 7 of the venturi 6, this inflicts a relative vacuum at the input 8 for the secondary channel 9 of the venturi 6. Since this secondary channel 9 connects through the channel 4 with the cavities of the mouthpieces 3, a suction force is present at the openings of the mouthpieces 3. This suction force is capa- ble to hold and fix an object which is engaged with the mouth-
— 5 = pieces 3.
In order to release the object at a later instance, a further feature is that the closed loop tubing system 8 com- prises a valve 11 for selectively interrupting the circulation of fluid in at least part of the closed loop tubing system 8. When the valve 11 is moved to a position to interrupt the cir- culation of fluid in the closed loop tubing system 8 as is shown in figure 5, this causes expelling of liquid via the channel 4 that connects to the cavity of each mouthpiece 3 and releases the object. This backflow of fluid also expels any contamination that has accumulated in the cavities of the mouthpieces 3.
Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the ap- paratus of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the append- ed claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment. Aspects of the invention are itemized in the following sec- tion.
1. Apparatus (1) suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object, comprising an engagement part (2) to engage with and hold the object, which engagement part (2) is arranged to subsequently, after said engagement, re- lease the object at a predetermined time or location, charac- terized in that the engagement part (2) comprises a mouthpiece (3) which defines a cavity, which mouthpiece (3) is connected to a channel (4) that connects to said cavity for transferring air or fluid, wherein the channel connects to a transportation drive part (5) for transfer of the air or fluid in the channel {4), and which mouthpiece (3) is provided with an opening ena-
- 6 — bling passing of air or fluid into and out of the cavity of the mouthpiece (3).
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transportation drive part (5) comprises a venturi (6).
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the venturi (6) comprises a main through going channel (7) and an input (8) for a secondary channel (9), characterized in that the channel (4) that connects to the cavity of the mouthpiece {3) is further connected to the input (8) of the venturi (6) for the secondary channel (9).
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the main through going channel (7) of the venturi (6) is part of a closed loop tubing system (80 for transportation of fluid.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the closed loop tubing system (8) comprises a pump (9).
6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4-5, characterized in that the closed loop tubing system (8) fur- ther comprises a collector (10) for fluid.
7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that the closed loop tubing system (80 is ar- ranged to continuously entertain circulation of fluid in at least part of the closed loop tubing system (8).
8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that the closed loop tubing system (8) com- prises a valve (11) for selectively interrupting the circula- tion of fluid in at least part of the closed loop tubing sys- tem (8), so as to cause expelling of liquid via the channel (4) that connects to the cavity of the mouthpiece (3), to re- lease the object.
9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that there are plural mouthpieces (3), each mouthpiece (3) connected to a dedicated channel (4) that con- nects to said cavity for transferring air or fluid, wherein the said channel (4) of each mouthpiece (3) connects to the transportation drive part (5) for transfer of the air or fluid in the said channel (4), wherein each mouthpiece (3) is pro- vided with an opening enabling passing of air or fluid into
- 7 = and out of the cavity of such mouthpiece (3).
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the dedicated channels (4) of the mouthpieces (3) connect to a manifold (12) which is connected to the input (8) of the venturi (6) for the secondary channel (9).
11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, character- ized in that the mouthpieces (3) are supported by a frame (13), wherein level compensators (14) are provided.
Claims (11)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL2024887A NL2024887B1 (en) | 2020-02-12 | 2020-02-12 | Apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL2024887A NL2024887B1 (en) | 2020-02-12 | 2020-02-12 | Apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NL2024887B1 true NL2024887B1 (en) | 2021-09-15 |
Family
ID=71784607
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
NL2024887A NL2024887B1 (en) | 2020-02-12 | 2020-02-12 | Apparatus suitable for automatically picking and placing a flexible object |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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NL (1) | NL2024887B1 (en) |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR1203141A (en) * | 1958-07-23 | 1960-01-15 | Depression device for filling or other applications | |
DE102007031847B3 (en) * | 2007-07-09 | 2008-10-23 | Mars Incorporated | gripping device |
DE102008032825B3 (en) * | 2008-07-11 | 2010-01-14 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Jet pump and method for its operation |
WO2016029299A1 (en) * | 2014-08-26 | 2016-03-03 | Vineland Research and Innovations Centre Inc. | Mushroom harvester |
-
2020
- 2020-02-12 NL NL2024887A patent/NL2024887B1/en active
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR1203141A (en) * | 1958-07-23 | 1960-01-15 | Depression device for filling or other applications | |
DE102007031847B3 (en) * | 2007-07-09 | 2008-10-23 | Mars Incorporated | gripping device |
DE102008032825B3 (en) * | 2008-07-11 | 2010-01-14 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Jet pump and method for its operation |
WO2016029299A1 (en) * | 2014-08-26 | 2016-03-03 | Vineland Research and Innovations Centre Inc. | Mushroom harvester |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PD | Change of ownership |
Owner name: VCU ROBOTICS B.V.; NL Free format text: DETAILS ASSIGNMENT: CHANGE OF OWNER(S), ASSIGNMENT; FORMER OWNER NAME: VCU TCD B.V. Effective date: 20231113 |