Lifting tube and handling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016297079-A1
Application number	US-201615093293-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention concerns a lifting tube as well as a vacuum lifting device with such a lifting tube. The lifting tube has a tube wall extending about a lengthwise axis and enclosing a tube interior, while the lifting tube can be reversibly deformed along its lengthwise axis into an elongated configuration and, with reduction of the tube interior, a contracted configuration. The tube wall has a plurality of outer crease lines, along which the tube wall can buckle to produce the contracted configuration, while the outer crease lines run obliquely to each other so that, when deformed into the contracted configuration, the tube wall experiences a torsion about the lengthwise axis in some sections.

First claim

1 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) with a tube wall ( 24 ) extending about a lengthwise axis ( 26 ) and enclosing a tube interior ( 28 ), the lifting tube ( 12 ) can be reversibly deformed along its lengthwise axis ( 26 ) into an elongated configuration, and with a reduction of the tube interior ( 28 ), into a contracted configuration, characterized in that
the tube wall ( 24 ) has a plurality of outer crease lines ( 30 ), along which the tube wall ( 24 ) can buckle to produce the contracted configuration, the outer crease lines ( 30 ) run obliquely to each other so that, when deformed into the contracted configuration, the tube wall ( 24 ) experiences a torsion about the lengthwise axis ( 26 ) in some sections.

2 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the outer crease lines ( 30 ) comprise a plurality of annular crease lines ( 34 ) encircling the lengthwise axis ( 28 ) in a closed manner as well as a number (n) of oblique crease lines ( 36 ) intersecting the annular crease lines ( 34 ) at intersecting points ( 38 ), wherein the oblique crease lines ( 36 ) run at a slant to the annular crease lines ( 34 ) so that the torsion is achieved upon folding the tube wall ( 24 ).

3 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the annular crease lines ( 34 ) run perpendicular to the lengthwise axis ( 26 ).

4 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that all oblique crease lines ( 36 ) run parallel to each other in the elongated configuration.

5 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that all oblique crease lines ( 36 ) which intersect a particular annular crease line ( 34 ) make a congruent acute angle of rise (α) with the annular crease line ( 34 ) at the intersecting point.

6 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the sum of the angle of rise (α) for each annular crease line ( 34 ) at the intersecting points ( 38 ) on this annular crease line ( 34 ) totals 360°.

7 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the annular crease lines ( 34 ) have the shape of a regular polygon with a number n of corners ( 40 ).

8 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the angle of rise (α) amounts to the n-th fraction of 360 degrees, where n is the number of corners ( 40 ) of a particular annular crease line ( 34 ).

9 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the annular crease lines ( 34 ) and the oblique crease lines ( 36 ) intersecting at each intersecting point ( 38 ) form equal-length legs ( 48 ) subtending an acute angle of rise (α).

10 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that in the elongated configuration the annular crease lines ( 34 ) are arranged along the lengthwise axis ( 26 ) spaced apart from each other equidistant with a layer height ( 46 ).

11 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that the tube wall ( 24 ) comprises a plurality of inner crease lines ( 42 ), each inner crease line ( 42 ) running through intersecting points ( 38 ) of two neighboring annular crease lines ( 34 ) along the lengthwise axis ( 26 ) with various oblique crease lines ( 36 ).

12 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 11 , characterized in that each inner crease line ( 42 ) forms a bisector of the angle of the intersecting annular crease line ( 34 ) and oblique crease line ( 36 ), through whose intersecting point ( 38 ) the respective inner crease line ( 42 ) also runs.

13 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the tube wall ( 24 ) is provided with reinforcement zones ( 46 ), which are bounded by edges which run along the intersecting inner crease lines ( 42 ), annular crease lines ( 34 ) and oblique crease lines ( 36 ).

14 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the inner crease lines ( 42 ), when viewed in a projection along the lengthwise axis ( 26 ), bound a cross sectional area of the tube ( 52 ), which is continually reduced as the lifting tube ( 12 ) is converted from the elongated configuration to the contracted configuration.

15 . Handling device ( 10 ), including a tube lifter, with a lifting tube ( 12 ), having a tube interior ( 28 ), wherein the lifting tube ( 12 ) can be shortened by applying a partial vacuum to the tube interior ( 28 ), and with a gripping device ( 16 ) connected to one end of the lifting tube ( 12 ), characterized in that the lifting tube ( 12 ) is configured according to claim 1 .

16 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that all oblique crease lines ( 36 ) run parallel to each other in the elongated configuration.

17 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that all oblique crease lines ( 36 ) which intersect a particular annular crease line ( 34 ) make a congruent acute angle of rise (α) with the annular crease line ( 34 ) at the intersecting point.

18 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the annular crease lines ( 34 ) have the shape of a regular polygon with a number n of corners ( 40 ).

19 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 7 , characterized in that the angle of rise (α) amounts to the n-th fraction of 360 degrees, where n is the number of corners ( 40 ) of a particular annular crease line ( 34 ).

20 . Lifting tube ( 12 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the annular crease lines ( 34 ) and the oblique crease lines ( 36 ) intersecting at each intersecting point ( 38 ) form equal-length legs ( 48 ) subtending an acute angle of rise (α).

Assignees

• Schmalz J Gmbh

Inventors

• Mast Jonas
• Kohler Jonathan

Classifications

• B25J15/0616 Primary

  with vacuum · CPC title

• B66C1/0212 Primary

  Circular shape · CPC title

• B66C1/0293 Primary

  Single lifting units; Only one suction cup · CPC title