Operating device for a tube lifter and tube lifter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532469-B2
Application number	US-201916281234-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating device for a tube lifter having a suction grip device arranged on one end of the lifting tube, the operating device having a suction port for fluid communication with the suction grip device, a lifting tube port for fluid communication with the tube interior of the lifting tube, and a valve means for controlling the fluid communications, the valve means comprising a blocking member, a ventilation valve and a control valve, the valve means being designed such that the control valve is adjustable independently of the position of the blocking member and the valve means being designed such that when the ventilation valve is shifted into the ventilation position the blocking member always closes off the flow path between the tube interior and the suction grip device. The invention also relates to a tube lifter comprising an operating device of this kind.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Operating device for a tube lifter which comprises a lifting tube that has a tube interior and can be shortened by applying a vacuum to the tube interior, and comprising a suction grip device arranged on one end of the tube lifter, which suction grip device can be supplied with a vacuum through the tube interior,
the operating device having a suction port for fluid communication with the suction grip device, a lifting tube port for fluid communication with the tube interior of the lifting tube, and a valve means for controlling the fluid communications,
the valve means comprising:
a blocking member, which can assume various positions and, depending on its position, closes off or opens a flow path between the lifting tube port and the suction port;
a ventilation valve, which can be shifted into a hold position and into a ventilation position, in the ventilation position a flow path between the surroundings and the suction port being open, and in the hold position said flow path being substantially closed;
a control valve, which is adjustable between a closed position and an open position, in the open position a flow path from the surroundings to the lifting tube port being open, and in the closed position said flow path being substantially closed;

the valve means being designed such that the control valve is adjustable independently of the position of the blocking member,
characterized in that the valve means is designed such that when the ventilation valve is shifted into the ventilation position the blocking member always closes off the flow path between the lifting tube port and the suction port.

2. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein a safety mechanism is provided which interacts with the control valve and the ventilation valve such that the ventilation valve can only be shifted into the ventilation position when the control valve is adjusted into the open position.

3. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein a common operating element for the blocking member and the ventilation valve is provided, wherein the operating element is manually actuable starting from a rest position and, upon actuation, the ventilation valve is shifted and the blocking member is moved simultaneously.

4. Operating device according to claim 3 , wherein the operating element is mechanically blocked when the control valve is not adjusted into the open position.

5. Operating device according to claim 4 , wherein a control element that is manually actuable between a neutral position and an end position is provided, wherein, when the control element is actuated starting from the neutral position toward the end position, the control valve is shifted from the closed position toward the open position, and wherein a safety catch that is pivotable or movable starting from a blocking position is provided, wherein the safety catch in the blocking position mechanically blocks the operating element, and wherein a coupling element is provided, which interacts with the control element and the safety catch in such a way that the safety catch is pivoted or moved out of its blocking position when the control element is adjusted into the end position.

6. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking member and the ventilation valve are mechanically intercoupled such that, by means of an adjustment of the ventilation valve into the ventilation position, the blocking member is shifted such that the flow path between the lifting tube port and the suction port is closed off.

7. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilation valve is provided by a discretely switchable valve.

8. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking member can be discretely switched into its two positions.

9. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the valve means has a 3/2-way valve, which provides both the blocking member and the ventilation valve.

10. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the valve means is designed such that the control valve can also be shifted into the open position when the blocking member closes off the flow path between the lifting tube port and the suction port.

11. Operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the control valve, the blocking member and the ventilation valve are connected in series between the lifting tube port and the suction port.

12. Operating device according to claim 1 , having a handle that can be grasped by an operator, wherein a common operating element for the blocking member and the ventilation valve is provided on the handle and wherein an actuable control element for adjusting the control valve is additionally provided on the handle.

13. Tube lifter comprising a lifting tube that comprises a tube interior, it being possible to shorten the lifting tube by applying a vacuum to the tube interior, and having a suction grip device connected to one end of the lifting tube, which suction grip device can be supplied with a vacuum through the tube interior, characterized by an operating device for operating the lifting tube comprising a lifting tube that has a tube interior and can be shortened by applying a vacuum to the tube interior, and comprising a suction grip device arranged on one end of the tube lifter, which suction grip device can be supplied with a vacuum through the tube interior,
the operating device having a suction port for fluid communication with the suction grip device, a lifting tube port for fluid communication with the tube interior of the lifting tube, and a valve means for controlling the fluid communications,
the valve means comprising:
a blocking member, which can assume various positions and, depending on its position, closes off or opens a flow path between the lifting tube port and the suction port;
a ventilation valve, which can be shifted into a hold position and into a ventilation position, in the ventilation position a flow path between the surroundings and the suction port being open, and in the hold position said flow path being substantially closed;
a control valve, which is adjustable between a closed position and an open position, in the open position a flow path from the surroundings to the lifting tube port being open, and in the closed position said flow path being substantially closed;

the valve means being designed such that the control valve is adjustable independently of the position of the blocking member,
characterized in that the valve means is designed such that when the ventilation valve is shifted into the ventilation position the blocking member always closes off the flow path between the lifting tube port and the suction port.

Assignees

• Schmalz J Gmbh

Inventors

• Burt Hans
• Gauss Jan

Classifications

• B66C1/0256 Primary

  Operating and control devices · CPC title

• B66C1/0212

  Circular shape · CPC title

• B66C1/0293

  Single lifting units; Only one suction cup · CPC title

• B25J15/0616 Primary

  with vacuum · CPC title