Article vacuum holding system and article holding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023400-B2
Application number	US-201615394948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

An article holding system according to an embodiment is an article holding system which is provided with a fixed portion, a movable portion, a hollow member located between the fixed portion and the movable portion, a drawing portion to draw in the hollow member, and a fluid control device to supply fluid to an inside of the hollow member, wherein the hollow member deforms in a state that the fluid is supplied by the fluid control device, and the hollow member is drawn out from the drawing portion, to change a distance between the fixed portion and the movable portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article holding system, comprising:
a fixed portion;
a movable portion;
a hollow member, which is a flat tube, located between the fixed portion and the movable portion;
a drawing portion to draw in the hollow member; and
a fluid control device to supply fluid to an inside of the hollow member;
wherein a cross section of the flat tube changes from a flat state to an expansion state when the fluid is supplied by the fluid control device into the hollow member, and the hollow member is drawn out from the drawing portion, to change a distance between the fixed portion and the movable portion.

2. The article holding system according to claim 1 : wherein the drawing portion has a sandwiching portion to sandwich the hollow member.

3. The article holding system according to claim 2 : wherein the drawing portion is installed in the movable portion.

4. The article holding system according to claim 3 : wherein the sandwiching portion comprises a pair of opposite rollers.

5. The article holding system according to claim 1 : wherein the movable portion has a suction pad to suck an article.

6. The article holding system according to claim 1 : wherein the movable portion has a suction pad, and a vacuum generator which, in a state that the suction pad is in contact with an article, discharges the fluid between the suction pad and the article, using the fluid to be supplied in the hollow member.

7. The article holding system according to claim 1 : wherein the hollow member contracts in a state that the fluid is discharged by the fluid control device, and expands in a state that the fluid is supplied by the fluid control device.

8. The article holding system according to claim 1 : wherein the drawing portion includes a roller to draw in the hollow member, and a stress load portion to connect the roller and the fixed portion.

9. The article holding system according to claim 1 : wherein the fluid control device comprises a pressurizing unit to supply the liquid to the hollow member, a suction unit to discharge the fluid from the hollow member, a switching valve to switch supply and discharge of the fluid to and from the hollow member, and a control unit which operates the switching valve to control supply and discharge of the fluid.

10. The article holding system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a pressure detection unit to detect a pressure of the fluid to be supplied to the hollow member;
a flow rate detection unit to detect a flow rate of the fluid to be supplied to the hollow member; and
a rotation angle detection unit to detect an operation amount of the drawing portion;
wherein the control unit controls supply and discharge of the fluid in accordance with detection results of the pressure detection unit, the flow rate detection unit and the rotation angle detection unit.

11. An article holding system, comprising:
a fixed portion;
a movable portion;
a hollow member, which is a flat tube, located between the fixed portion and the movable portion;
a drawing portion to draw in the hollow member; and
a fluid control device to discharge fluid from an inside of the hollow member;
wherein the hollow member is drawn in by the drawing portion and becomes in a flat state in a state that the fluid is discharged from the hollow member by the fluid control device, to change a distance between the fixed portion and the movable portion.

12. An article holding device, comprising:
a fixed portion;
a movable portion to hold an article;
a hollow member, which is a flat tube, located between the fixed portion and the movable portion;
a drawing portion to draw in the hollow member;
wherein when fluid is supplied into the hollow member, the hollow member is deformed by forces generated in short directions of the cross section of the flat tube, and the hollow member is drawn out from the drawing portion to, change a distance between the fixed portion and the movable portion.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Tanaka Junya
• Ogawa Akihito
• Nakamoto Hideichi
• Sugahara Atsushi
• Sonoura Takafumi
• Eto Haruna

Classifications

• B25J9/0018

  Bases fixed on ceiling, i.e. upside down manipulators · CPC title

• B65G47/917 Primary

  control arrangements · CPC title

• B65G47/91

  incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers · CPC title

• B65G47/912

  provided with drive systems with rectilinear movements only · CPC title

• B25J15/0616 Primary

  with vacuum · CPC title