Handling system comprising tube lifter and manipulator with control lever

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025050506-A1
Application number	US-202418796977-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 7, 2024
Priority date	Aug 8, 2023
Publication date	Feb 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a handling system comprising a tube lifter, having a lifting tube, an end effector and a valve device, a manipulator, and a coupling device for coupling the tube lifter to the manipulator, wherein the coupling device has a first coupling portion on the tube lifter side and a second coupling portion on the manipulator side, wherein the first coupling portion is mounted on the lifting tube so as to be axially displaceable along a control axis, wherein the first coupling portion interacts with the valve device in such a way that the valve device can be actuated by displacing the first coupling portion along the control axis.

First claim

1 . A handling system, comprising
a tube lifter, with
a lifting tube having a tube interior,
an end effector, in particular a suction gripping device; and
a valve device, in particular arranged on or in the lifting tube, for controlling flow connections;
a manipulator, in particular a robot, for displacing the end effector; a coupling device; for coupling the tube lifter to the manipulator,
wherein the coupling device has a first coupling portion; on the tube lifter side and a second coupling portion on the manipulator side, wherein the first and second coupling portions can be connected to one another by means of a connecting device, in particular in a repeatably releasable manner, wherein the first coupling portion is mounted on the lifting so as to be axially displaceable along a control axis, wherein the first coupling portion interacts with the valve device in such a way that the valve device can be actuated, in particular controlled, by displacing the first coupling portion along the control axis.

2 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device designed to be controllable in such a way that it can be selectively activated or deactivated, wherein a controller, in particular manipulator controller, is provided for controlling the connecting device.

3 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device has at least one electromagnet that can be activated or deactivated as required, in particular such that, in an activated state of the at least one electromagnet, the first and the second coupling portion are connected to one another, and in a deactivated state of the at least one electromagnet, the first and the second coupling portion can be detached from one another without tools.

4 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the valve device has a lifting tube ventilation valve for ventilating the tube interior of the lifting tube, wherein the first coupling portion interacts with the lifting tube ventilation valve in such a way that, by displacing the first coupling portion along the control axis, a ventilation position of the lifting tube ventilation valve can be changed; in particular, the lifting tube ventilation valve can be selectively opened and closed.

5 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the first coupling portion is coupled to the valve device via a control lever, wherein the control lever is mounted on the lifting tube so as to be pivotable about a control lever pivot axis,
wherein the control lever interacts with the valve device such that the valve device can be actuated by pivoting the control lever about the control lever pivot axis, wherein the control lever can be pivoted about the control lever pivot axis by axial displacement of the first coupling portion along the control axis.

6 . The handling system according to claim 5 , wherein the control lever has a control curve, in particular in the form of an elongated hole, wherein at least one control element is provided on the first coupling portion, which element engages in the control curve, wherein a pivot position of the control lever about the control lever pivot axis is variable, in particular adjustable, depending on a position of the control element along the control curve.

7 . The handling system according to claim 6 , wherein the control curve has at least two, preferably three, more preferably four, control curve portions which are formed at an angle to one another, but are themselves preferably straight.

8 . The handling system according to claim 6 , wherein the control curve has a first control curve portion, in particular first end portion, and a second control curve portion, in particular second end portion, such that the valve device, in particular the lifting tube ventilation valve, assumes a first valve position, in particular first ventilation position, when the control element is in the first control curve portion, and assumes a second valve position, in particular second ventilation position, when the control element vis in the second control curve portion, in particular wherein the valve device is further open in the first valve position than in the second valve position.

9 . The handling system according to claim 6 , wherein the first coupling portion is held on the lifting tube in such a way that the first coupling portion is in a rest configuration along the control axis in the separated state of the first and second coupling portions or is transferred into this configuration by gravity, wherein the first coupling portion in this rest configuration interacts with the valve device in such a way that the valve device is at least partially open.

10 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the end effector is connected to the lifting tube via a connecting rod, wherein the first coupling portion is arranged on the connecting rod so as to be displaceable along the control axis.

11 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the end effector is mounted on the lifting tube so as to be rotatable about an end effector axis of rotation, which is in particular parallel to the control axis or corresponds thereto, wherein the manipulator has a driven rotary element, which is rotatable about a manipulator axis of rotation, wherein the coupling device comprises a gearbox, which is designed to translate a rotary movement of the rotary element about the manipulator axis of rotation into a rotary movement of the end effector about the end effector axis of rotation in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions.

12 . The handling system according to claim 11 , wherein the gearbox is designed such that a rotational movement of the end effector about the end effector axis of rotation is decoupled from a movement of the first and second coupling portions.

13 . The handling system according to any one of claims 11 , wherein the manipulator is designed as a robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, with a robot arm and a robot wrist, wherein the rotary element is driven by a robot axis of rotation of the robot wrist, in particular by the last axis of the robot along the kinematic chain.

14 . The handling system according to claim 11 , the gearbox comprising,
an end effector-side first transmission element, in particular first gear, which is coupled to the end effector so that it cannot rotate about the end effector axis of rotation, and a manipulator-side second transmission element, in particular second gear, which is driven via the rotary element of the manipulator, wherein the first transmission element, and the second transmission element, in particular the first gear and the second gear, are in engagement with one another, in particular mesh with one another, in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions.

15 . The handling system according to claim 14 , the gearbox also comprising a manipulator-side third transmission element, in particular third gear, which is coupled to the rotary element in a rotationally fixed manner and is in engagement, in particular meshing, with the second transmission element, in particular second gear, such that the second transmission element, in particular second gear, can be driven by the third transmission element, in particular third gear.

16 . The handling system according to claim 14 , wherein the first transmission element, in particular the first gear, has a longitudinal extension along the end effector axis of rotation such that the second transmission element, in particular the second gear, in engagement, in particular in the meshing state

Assignees

• Schmalz J Gmbh

Inventors

• Frey Matthias
• Bläse Nico

Classifications

• B25J15/0608

  with magnetic holding means · CPC title

• B25J15/0038

  Cylindrical gripping surfaces · CPC title

• B66C1/0212

  Circular shape · CPC title

• B66C1/0293

  Single lifting units; Only one suction cup · CPC title

• B66C1/0256

  Operating and control devices · CPC title