JPH0516176U - Adsorption pad - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] By making the vacuum chamber formed inside the suction pad communicate with the suction surface through a plurality of small-diameter holes, and surrounding the holes on the suction surface with bulges. Provided is a suction pad in which the works are not separated during transportation. A first vacuum chamber formed inside a suction pad 10 and a large number of small-diameter holes 26a to 2 defined on a suction surface 22.
6c, and projections 24a to 24d, 30a to 30c which form partition walls that communicate with 6c and surround and bend the holes 26a to 26c.
By defining a large number of small second vacuum chambers, the small second vacuum chambers independently adsorb the work.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a suction pad for sucking a work and transporting it to an arbitrary position.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Conventionally, for example, a suction pad connected to a vacuum suction source has been used to convey a thin plate-shaped work. This type of suction pad usually has a root portion and a skirt portion integrally connected to the root portion, and is attached to a robot arm via a connector and used for carrying a work or the like. At that time, by connecting a tube from a vacuum suction source to the root of the suction pad and sucking the work, the work is adsorbed by the suction pad and conveyed while the skirt portion is depressurized.

In this case, depending on the shape and weight of the work to be transported, the skirt has a circular cross-sectional shape or an oval shape.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the suction pad as described above, when the suction position with respect to the work shifts and a part of the skirt part separates from the work, and the inside of the suction pad becomes atmospheric pressure, the work is separated and dropped. There's a problem.

Further, when a work having low rigidity is conveyed, the work hangs down, a gap is created between the work and the suction surface of the suction pad, which causes a vacuum break, and the work is detached during the transfer. There's a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve this kind of problem, and a vacuum chamber is formed inside the suction pad, and a small-diameter hole communicating between the vacuum chamber and the suction surface. If a plurality of small chambers are defined and a partition wall that surrounds the hole is provided to form a large number of small vacuum chambers, even if a gap is created between the work and the suction surface during the work transfer, the work is not separated. It is an object of the present invention to provide a suction pad capable of carrying a slab.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention adsorbs a work including a root portion connected to a vacuum suction source via a connector and a skirt portion integrally connected to the root portion. In the suction pad for achieving the above, a first vacuum chamber formed inside the suction pad, a plurality of small-diameter holes that communicate the first vacuum chamber and the suction surface of the skirt portion, A partition wall surrounding the hole, and a plurality of small second vacuum chambers are defined by the partition wall.

[0008]

[Action]

 In the suction pad according to the present invention, a plurality of small-diameter holes communicating with the vacuum chamber formed inside the suction pad and the suction surface are defined. By reducing the diameter of the hole in this way, the effective area is reduced and a large flow rate is prevented from flowing into the first vacuum chamber. Therefore, even if a part of the work is separated from the suction pad, the decrease in the suction force is small. Furthermore, by defining a large number of small second vacuum chambers that are provided with partition walls by surrounding the holes, the adjacent second vacuum chambers are not affected, and the respective second vacuum chambers are not affected. The chamber will independently adsorb the work. Therefore, the work can be transported without coming off the suction pad. Further, for example, even when a work such as a base plate in which the position of the hole is indefinite is transported, the holes on the suction surface are independent, so that it is not necessary to change the pad shape.

[0009]

【Example】

 A suction pad according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, with reference to preferred embodiments.

1 and 2, reference numeral 10 indicates a suction pad according to an embodiment of the present invention. The suction pad 10 is basically composed of a root portion 12 that communicates with a vacuum suction source, and a skirt portion 14 that is integrally provided with the root portion 12.

The root portion 12 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and is attached to the tip of the arm of the robot via a connector (not shown). Inside the root portion 12, a first vacuum chamber 16 having a large volume for holding a vacuum is defined. Further, a hole portion 18 that connects a vacuum suction source (not shown) to the first vacuum chamber 16 is defined in the upper wall portion of the root portion 12.

The skirt portion 14 is made of a flexible member, and a thin flange portion 20 is formed on the entire peripheral edge thereof, and a suction surface 22 is formed on the bottom surface side thereof. A plurality of projections 24a to 24d forming a part of the partition wall in the circumferential direction of the suction surface 22 are concentrically defined, and a large number of holes 26a to 26c are concentrically formed between the projections 24a to 24d. Defined by. The holes 26a to 26c have a small diameter, for example, a diameter of 0.5 mm to 1 mm, and communicate with the first vacuum chamber 16 defined in the root portion 12. Further, protrusions 30a to 30c forming a part of the partition wall are formed in the radial direction between the holes 26a to 26c. Therefore, the circumference of each of the holes 26a to 26c is surrounded by the protrusions 24a to 24d and 30a to 30c so as to define a large number of small second vacuum chambers.

Next, the operation of the suction pad 10 configured as described above will be described.

The suction pad 10 is attached to the tip of an arm of the robot, and is sucked from a vacuum suction source (not shown) from the first vacuum chamber 16 and the holes 26a to 26c via a tube or the like.

As a result of being sucked in this way, the work is sucked and conveyed by the suction pad 10 under the depressurizing action of the skirt portion 14. In this case, a large number of small second vacuum chambers defined on the suction surface 22 of the skirt portion 14 made of a flexible member independently perform the suction action, and the flange portion 20 adheres to the work piece. Prevents air from entering between the work and the skirt portion 14.

By the way, some force is applied to the work during conveyance, and the work moves back and forth or left and right to partly remove the suction pad 10 from the work, and the second vacuum chamber defined by the suction surface 22 of the skirt portion 14 is formed. Let's say a part of is in communication with the atmosphere. In this case, only the second vacuum chamber communicating with the atmosphere breaks the vacuum, and the other second vacuum chambers are not affected. That is, each of the many other small second vacuum chambers performs an independent suction action, so that the suction state can be maintained and the work can be conveyed without being detached. Further, since the diameters of the holes 26a to 26c which define the second vacuum chamber are sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the first vacuum chamber 16, the suction operation of the first vacuum chamber 16 is lost due to vacuum breaking. Since the adsorption action can be continued without the work, the work can be conveyed without being detached.

As described above, in the present embodiment, by defining the large-capacity first vacuum chamber 16 and the large number of small second vacuum chambers in the suction pad 10, each small second vacuum chamber is made into a workpiece. Since the function of adsorbing the adsorbed work is performed, the adsorbed work can be conveyed without being separated during the operation.

The suction pad 40 shown in FIG. 3 is the second embodiment, and the same components as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The suction pad 40 in this embodiment is different from the above-mentioned embodiment in that a large number of folds 42a to 42c are formed around a large number of holes 26a to 26c defined in the suction surface 22 of the skirt portion 14. .

The skirt portion 14 is made of a flexible member, a thin flange portion 20 is formed on the entire peripheral edge thereof, and a suction surface 22 is formed on the bottom surface of the work. A plurality of protrusions 24a to 24d are concentrically formed in the circumferential direction of the suction surface 22. A large number of holes 26a to 26c are concentrically defined between the protrusions 24a to 24d and communicate with the first vacuum chamber 16 defined in the root portion 12. In addition, an innumerable number of folds 42a to 42c are formed in the circumferential direction around each of the holes 26a to 26c.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. Under the depressurizing action of the skirt portion 14, the work is adsorbed by the adsorption pad 40 and conveyed. When the suction pad 40 contacts the workpiece, the folds 42a to 42c around the holes 26a to 26c defined in the suction surface 22 of the skirt portion 14 are crushed to increase the contact area. Each of the holes 26a to 26c defined by the folds 42a to 42c has an improved vacuum degree and can perform an adsorption action. Therefore, even if a part of the skirt portion 14 separates from the work, the large number of folds 42a to 42c prevent air from flowing into the other holes 26a to 26c, so that the adsorption action is not impaired.

As described above, in this embodiment, a large number of folds 42a to 42c are formed around the holes 26a to 26c, and the folds 42a to 42c are brought into contact with the work to increase the contact area. The effect that the vacuum break can be prevented is obtained.

The shape of the suction pad is not limited to the circular shape used in this embodiment, and may be an elliptic shape.

[0024]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the suction pad of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

By forming a plurality of small second vacuum chambers by enclosing and bending a plurality of small-diameter holes, which communicate with the first vacuum chamber formed inside the suction pad and the suction surface, by the suction surface. , Each of the second vacuum chambers can independently perform the suction action, and therefore, even if a part of the workpiece comes off the suction surface of the suction pad, a large number of other second vacuum chambers suck the workpiece. It works and can adsorb and convey the work without separating it.

Further, by bringing the folds formed around the holes into contact with the work, the contact area with respect to the work can be increased, and the degree of vacuum in each hole can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a suction pad according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the suction pad taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a suction pad according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 40 ... Adsorption pad 12 ... Root part 14 ... Skirt part 16 ... 1st vacuum chamber 22 ... Adsorption surface 24a-24d, 30a-30c ... Protrusion 26a-26c ... Hole part 42a-42c ... Fold

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A suction pad for sucking a workpiece, comprising: a root portion connected to a vacuum suction source via a connector; and a skirt portion integrally connected to the root portion, A first vacuum chamber formed inside the suction pad; a plurality of small-diameter holes that communicate the first vacuum chamber with the suction surface of the skirt; and a partition wall that surrounds the hole. And a plurality of small second vacuum chambers defined by the partition walls. 2. The suction pad according to claim 1, wherein the partition wall formed around the hole portion is substantially composed of a plurality of folds, and the contact area is increased by the folds. Pad.